Sunday, 10/18/2020, had better hiking weather than last Sunday, the 25th, when I actually started writing this article. Last Sunday started out wet and cloudy from the overnight rain. The sun didn’t appear from behind the clouds until about 3:30 PM. Now, that’s not funny, Lord! The Good Lord has a sense of humor. Over the years, I’ve seen perfectly fine hiking weather during a workweek with rainy weekends. Further, I have also seen a rainy or cloudy sky turn sunny too late for even a late afternoon hike. That’s still not funny, Lord!
This second of three entries on Halloween, Saturday, 10/31/2020, is about my 172nd hike on House Mountain from two Sundays ago.
The weather was mostly sunny and too warm for this time of year for my liking. I only hiked up and back down the west trail. When it turns cooler, I am itching to hike across the ridge and down the east trail.
The above photograph at the west bluff looks down from where I had climbed up. The rock bluff is to the left in partial view. Climbing up to that spot is easy enough.
After enjoying time at the west bluff, I carefully went back down the same direction that I’d climbed up. The second photograph above is the opposite view, looking back up to the same location as in the first image. The guy in the red shirt was standing about where I had been while taking the first photograph.
My right foot and knee instruct me to be more careful hiking down. I’m still a “lame mountain goat,” but I can tell that I am slowly becoming less “lame.” This 172nd hike also marked my 36th hike on House Mountain with “bionic” joints. After previous “bionic” hikes, my right foot encouraged me to limp noticeably, even into the next day at times, before it returned to “normal.” “Normal” had been taking a step; ouch; take another step. Then, it became take a step; that’s different; take another step. Now, it's take a step; that’s not much different; take another step.
Hey, Lord, could you speed up the “getting better slowly” part to “instant miracle”? No. You don’t work that way, except very rarely anymore? Okay. I understand. I’m here for only a few seconds in temporal life, compared to everlasting life, anyway. I’ll get along well enough until you call me to my everlasting home.
By the way, on my hike down and near the end of the trail, I met an 80-year-old man, Mr. John S., who was hiking up. I told him about meeting the 78-year-old man on 10/4/2020. Mr. John S. lives alone now, not far from us. His wife passed away a few months ago. He is back to hiking again. He had taken time off from hiking while his wife wasn’t well. I had not met Mr. John S. on any previous hike until this one. Mr. John S. is a fine man and brother in Christ. I hope that I see him again. Well, I will in heaven, if not here on earth.
After Mr. John S. and I parted, I met a group of younger folks. One young husband and wife were bringing along their four-month-old daughter. The mother was carrying their daughter in a satchel on her chest. I enjoyed talking with them and telling them about Mr. John S., who was ahead of them a little, going up.
Life is a cycle from birth to death. I saw a baby girl who was early in life. I met a fine man who was later in life. I’m closer in age to Mr. John S. than to the newborn girl. Accepting, at the proper age, the Good Lord’s free gift offer and living accordingly the best that you can offer a good life here. Furthermore, it leads to everlasting life at home in heaven.
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