Above picture: Feeling the power of NATURE from the rock into my body and all around – I could actually see energy emerging from the mountains and blending with the blue sky

This place was not only a physical location, but a specific location in time. We went many times to this trail, however, today it was a completely different story.

Today we started at the trail head at 6am. I was excited by the idea stretching my comfort zone by getting up so early and also hiking barefoot! We started walking uphill. It was fresh, silent…  Oh, look at that, there were actually people coming down the mountain. I wonder at what time they started and if there was even light then.

They were an Asian girl, an older man, perhaps her dad, and a dog.  As they approached, the girl greeted us and we answered with the same. The man look at us as if he had seen something unexpected, a beautiful treasure, some special gift or light inside of us.  He saluted us with great warmth and love that activated our hearts on a whole different level.

My husband, my friend and I were puzzled. We had never experienced something like that. Such kindness and welcoming.

The best part is that this love giving repeated again and again with different hikers coming down hill. We started wondering if the early morning hikers were people of a “different kind”. Only very dedicated people go hiking so early.

Second time in my life that I hike barefoot. Loving the feeling of connection to the ground!

So we reached  a cooler area and before turning back, we saw a rattle snake, still resting peacefully coiled beside the trail as we walked along the stream at the cool canyon bottom.  Soon after, a lizard, not very concerned about us, going about its business only inches away.  We had never seen nature and wild animals behave in this way before!

On our way back, totally recharged with nature and love, I looked forward to that inspiration and interaction with other hikers.  I was not settling for anything less than what I had experienced on the way up.  Anytime that somebody would approach as we hiked down, I had ready my best welcome and appreciation for them.  Although it seemed that the late morning hikers weren’t as interested as the earlier hikers, something would light up in them and their reaction would somehow brighten.

So it seemed as though we had found a special mountain that offered inspiration on the way up and compelled you to inspire others on the way down.  Magical coordinates of place and time.

I am so glad we were so early. When we came back there was a lot of traffic… in the opposite direction. Everybody was going somewhere, but we were coming back from somewhere, with a full day before us!

My husband and I after being welcomed on our return to Paradise Earth

Have you ever had the experience, while driving, that somebody made a funny thing like getting right in front of your car and drive superslow?  The common response would be to get kind of bothered and pass the car, but in doing this you might or might not notice that you bothered someone else. Then that someone else might also not feel as calm anymore and, in turn, might cut someone else off and so on. The feeling spreads. It is a ripple that affects much more than where it was originated.

What if next time that this happens, you breathe twice and forget about it?  Just choose to think that the slow car that interrupted in front of you might be driven by an old lady that is not very aware, or by a young new driver who needs support in the first days behind the wheel.

Cut off the wave right there and you will be benefiting lots of people.  If there would be always somebody around to remind us that feeling good is a choice, that life can be so enjoyable and well feeling, that we are appreciated, things would be very different.  You can be THE ONE to remind that to others.

You can be the sun when there are only clouds.  Your love will be given back to you, multiplied.  It is worth the try.

Victoria Vives