Wow, what a day of extremes

Today was a day of extremes!
I woke up in the morning feeling depressed and extremely lonely. The evening before with three hikers had depressed me. Converstion was hollow and meaningless, and I noticed this is not my world nor generation, and makes me feel even more alone than I already am. The age group on trail is between 20-30 years old. They are at the beginning of their lives with little life experience. I am yearning to meet people closer to my age and life experience, and I am yearning to meet someone who walks my pace with whom I can share the beauty of this trail.
Beauty is twice as beautiful when you can share it with someone.
I gathered together my energy, buried my sorrow, and set off walking to be met by the most unbelievable flowers on trail to remind me that beauty is all around.
Then suddenly there was loud rustling in a bush next to me as I passed. I jumped forward instinctively and turned around. There was a huge black rattle snake, wound up like a spring, 1/3 of his body in the air ready to strike. I showed the photographs to a local who confirmed that this snake meant business and that I was extremely lucky.
Later on in the day, I stepped past a large boulder and again saw a rattle snake in the corner of my eye, curled up. I agai lept 3 meters, but this one was fast asleep and didn't react at all. As I walk, I am constantly on alert for their rattle and checking the path ahead. And yet, one does not see them till the last moment. And if they don't rattle? What to do then?
And then in the afternoon, as if organized by my angel, a 49 year old lady from sacraments called Mary Joe. A homeopath, according to Hanamann, two grown-up daughters, and just came out of breast cancer. And miracle, she walks more or less at my pace! We had incredible discussions all afternoon and evening about life, children, sickness, and a million other topics.
The evening, we set camp next to a mountain stream with the roaring of water and the sound of frogs while we each cooked our meals.
What a beautiful day!Read more