Birthday Hike-Honoring My Dad's 75th

Cool breezes and calming sounds of the rain enter my window as I sit here writing in my little room at the Oak Tree Inn. Today is June 25 and would have been my daddy's 75th birthday. Because it's a special day, I wanted to spend my time doing something he'd enjoy. Prior to arriving in this little Scottish town, I knew I'd be traveling this summer and thought about what part of the UK my dad most enjoyed when I brought the family over here. He and Edgar seemed to really like Scotland and preferred it over some other areas we visited.

My daddy loved the outdoors. He often took us to the mountains where we'd walk the trails and he'd point out the vegetation and life along the path. He often took my brother hunting and fishing, and I occasionally went along with them. Whenever out in nature, Daddy would make sure to remind us of our connection to the earth. Much like the Native Americans, Daddy believed we should show appreciation for the things we take from the earth, whether it be plant or animal. In his later years, Daddy said that he hunted no longer with the intention of shooting anything, but rather just to be out there and to be able to observe the beauty around him.

I'm like my dad in that I love being outside, but as I've said, I'm not super outdoorsy. I like to go for walks or runs and I enjoy feeling the sun on my skin, but I don't usually combine being outside and exerting too much energy (Great Wall Half excluded). I've never been very sporty and so when it comes to "outdoor activities," I prefer the low key kind. Dad used to practice Tai Chi, for example, so that's one habit I've adopted.

To honor Dad on his birthday, I thought that Daddy would appreciate a simple hike. I figured that I'd be able to manage something easy as a way to pay tribute to him. I asked a friend from home who now lives in Glasgow to organize a hike near a loch. I told him the purpose of my request, and he planned the trip. I came, pretty blindly, with him to an area called Balmaha near Loch Lomond in Scotland.

We set out this morning after a nice Scottish breakfast of tomatoes, mushrooms, sausages and bacon (I skipped the eggs and the haggis!). I had said repeatedly that I was not a hiker and didn't want to be rock climbing, but he assured me it was "easy." After the first 20 minutes or so, I thought the incline would kill me; climbing stairs was my least favorite part of the race in Beijing. We got to the bottom of Conic Hill and set on towards the top. This wasn't too terribly bad, although I definitely worked up a sweat. When we got to one section pretty high up, I made the executive decision to not go all the way to the top as it looked really steep. I was only in my running shoes so I wasn't sure how easy it'd be for me to continue on the rocks. When we got to this point, I said I'd like to take ten minutes because it was a gorgeous spot and I wanted to have a little quiet time to pray and meditate.

I laid out my rain jacket so as to not sit directly on the wet ground, set my alarm on my phone, and got into position on the corner of the hill where I could overlook the lake and other gorgeous surroundings. Closing my eyes, I began to pray. I spoke to both my Heavenly father and my earthly father in Heaven. I went back and forth between the two of them thanking them for guiding me through so many stages of my life. I breathed in and out in slow deep breaths taking in the fresh air and letting it circulate through my body, imagining its power to cleanse and renew.

Just before the 10 minute alarm went off, I heard some people coming up the path behind me and I slowly opened my eyes to reacclimate myself to my surroundings. This was an emotional minute or two. The view that was before me was absolutely breathtaking. You see, I'm not a super athletic person who wants to climb the mountain, but being up on top and having a view that overlooks such a magnificent part of God's creation made it all worth it...even if going down would prove more challenging. Spiritually on top of that hill, I felt very connected, and that was the whole point of hiking this morning. I wanted to connect to both Dad and my Heavenly father, I wanted to connect to the earth, and I wanted to breathe that fresh air so as to rid my body of the pollutants it's inhaled or consumed after living in China. I do believe there is magic in a deep breath of fresh air; whether it be saltwater or mountain, it's healing.

After meditating, my friend and I headed back down the hill, but off the beaten path. We went straight over the edge where there were lots of tiny little rocks we used as stepping stones. My anxiety level shot up as my legs shakily took me down the hill. I was pretty nervous, to be honest. Thankfully, my "guide" patiently and supportingly helped me descend, and when we got down he said, "Look back...that's what you just did" as a way to help ease my nerves. I felt proud looking back at my accomplishment. It's pretty awesome actually, that I managed to get all the way back down and not hurt myself!

The hike today was a little more adventurous than I had intended, but it was a good way to honor Dad this morning, and for me also to have time to reconnect with myself. Living in what most deem a concrete jungle, I long for green grass and fresh air. I believe that being here in Scotland will rejuvenate me. As I walked down the "mountain," grasping the rocks and concentrating on not falling, I tried also to look around at my surroundings. This is the place fairy tales are written. There's magic in these hills and I thank the good Lord I was able to be part of it today. I think my dad enjoyed it too. I've felt his presence again stronger here lately, and I know, as always, he was with me.

Happy Birthday Daddy.