we became increasingly aware that we were leaving the South behind. Or, rather, that the trail and the world around it seemed to be slowly transitioning. It hadn’t been easy to make it this far. But there we were, and we were still moving. That thought, at least, gave me comfort. Perhaps I was weathered now. Perhaps the oldest mountains in the world and their endless peaks were shaping me into something stronger. Not that I didn’t have doubts. There were plenty of things that made me question myself, but they could also fuel my fire.
