We all go through tough periods in our lives from time to time. Lately, it has been my turn. So, given that I had the time, I decided to take a road trip.
I traveled from Jacksonville Florida to Harrisburg PA to visit with my older sister who was visiting from Paris, to visit my younger sister and her family, and to help my mom with some financial issues. I drove my car, so it was a good time to listen to some audio books and sort out my thoughts. The 14 hour trip is always long, but was well worth it.
It was great to see my sisters and help out my mom. When you have stress in your life, connecting with loved ones and helping others is one of the best medicines.
One day I stopped by an old friend's house who suggested we take a hike. Well, we did take a "hike", a 14.5 mile hike! For the first mile, we went straight up a mountain. The last half of the mountain was almost a 40 degree slope and the whole mile was mostly big rocks common to Pennsylvania trails. My friend led the whole way up the mountain. Luckily, the other 13.5 miles was much gentler along the mountain top without the rocks. Now, I am in very good shape, so while hard, it was doable for me. My friend is also physically active, but the interesting thing about him is that he is 78! It is amazing how physically capable he is. I hope when and if I reach 78 that I will be able to do the same.
During our hike, we had a number of hours to talk. The first mile up the mountain there wasn’t much talking as we had to breathe! For the remainder of the hike, we talked about everything under the sun.
Connecting with old friends is something we all should do. It is especially helpful when we seek to de-stress. Being out in the woods for five hours provides a perfect time to connect and it helped me to de-stress.
So next time you feel like life is overwhelming you, take a road trip, connect with friends and family, and help someone out. These things do wonders for your mental health while at the same time you’re helping others. You’ll be better for it.
