But by now I had slipped into my animal brain. I was looking from rock to rock, boulder to trail to hand-hold, focused only on what was before me. My hands are cold. Put them in your sleeves and don’t touch the rocks with your bare skin. Climb over this boulder. Put your right foot here. Breathe through your nose. This boulder is wobbly, step lightly and watch your ankles. It was meditative.

