She Explores: Stories of Life-Changing Adventures on the Road and in the Wild

by Gale Straub

when we’re out there alone in nature, we get the opportunity to define ourselves.

You who look at the mountains and think they must know everything about you, and you who look at the sea and are sure that it doesn’t care about you at all.

It’s up to us to make sure we take healthy cuttings, and harvest the bits of our lives and experiences that can grow their own roots to become something wild, untamed, and uniquely beautiful.

When we show up as we really are, whether we mean to or not, we create a community built on trust, empathy, and authenticity. It’s scary to admit that you don’t have it all figured out, but sharing the complicated and imperfect parts of our lives builds bridges instead of walls.

The mountains do not discriminate; they don’t care who you are, where you came from, or what your skin color is. They demand your respect.

And yes, there will be fears along the way, but trust that they will dissipate as long as you focus on your desires. Soon enough you learn that fear is merely an illusion, whereas your desire is what’s real.