my work schedule, my second job schedule, any birthday parties or activities my son may have, and my hiking schedule.
Oh yeah, and we like to travel, too. Then of course there are family events that kind of sift themselves through the planning process and settle themselves in a spot on the calendar, as if it was its very own game of who can fill this time slot first. Over time this system has proven itself useful in our chaotic lives. We live in a city full of events that both of our extended families live in, as well as childhood friends. Mix those combinations with work and our love for hiking and well, it can get busy. So how do I do it?I initially started the Atlanta Hike It Baby branch when my son was one-year-old. With the thought of committing myself to a hike once or twice a week, I was off to create a branch that has changed my life with self fulfillment and brand new friends. After all, my (overly used) motto is:
I don’t want to live my life because of my child, I want to live my life WITH my child.
Now that he is three and hiking is such a big part of our lives it has become very challenging to “do everything” but we definitely do try. Since I have a full time job at an office and a part time night job, I am subject to depend on my weekends (and weeknights during summer) for hiking. There are definitely times after a 13-hour working day that I do not look forward to getting myself and family up early to prepare for a hike the next day. All I want to do is cancel the hike and sleep in...but I don’t. I set my alarm and begin playing the events and commitments of the weekend in my mind until I fall asleep. The next morning we hike and we explore and laugh and sometimes cry, but we always feel better at the end. Hiking has become our way to relax and get away. All that I do, all the stress, all the running around, the self-persistence….ALL of it is worth it in the end. Yes, sometimes having to step back and say, “Sorry, we have plans to go hiking,” to the disappointed sighs of friends and family is not fun but does that bring regret? Absolutely not.
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