FANTASTIC VOYAGE

Sitting amidst a pile of pumpkins and all things Fallish and Autumn, trying to spread this undeniable forcefield of feeling around our Home that my Daughter and I relished and literally frolicked on the Mountain Tops; attesting of it's phenomenal power to revive the soul and senses recently on a trip to the Mountains. I felt as if I were among Charlie Brown and the gang. Assessing this messy patch, devising a plan and waiting on the Great Pumpkin to appear. Even though today it is humid and raining and feels like a sauna outside, I find much merriment in sipping on my long awaited pumpkin anything hot beverage as the air conditioner blows in my car on high and I close my eyes and allow the intoxicating aroma to take me to cooler places. You see, that is what Dreams are all about. I giggle often when frequently asked, what is it I Dream of. I simply say, "What is it I don't Dream of?" At fifty I feel like Linus even now, I am sitting in my car where outside these doors and windows I should be on a beach somewhere; instead, I am envisioning cool, crisp breezes blowing, jumping on the back of a hayfilled truck or trailer full of undeniable energy snuggled up to the ones around me, excitement taking the wheel of this ride to where ever my heart takes me and just like Linus when he wrote to the Great Pumpkin that Patty had told him that He, The Great Pumpkin was fake and that he was wasting his time. Linus was bold and a great dreamer when he continued to write, "Everyone tells me you are a fake, but I believe in you. P.S.: if you really are a fake, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

This trip my Daughter and I took recently was a game changer for us both. I have always relished in Labor Day as our last hoorah of Summer only this year, it was time for a cool change and to Celebrate the coming of Fall. The weather was picture perfect, the views were more than picturesque and the company well it was more than I had ever dreamed of between me and my Daughter. You see, my wee one is becoming her own force with her own gumptions and developing her own views. It was "that" trip you knew that just as the Seasons change, so has my little girl. We decided to hike and climb and venture everywhere our Hearts led us. Isn't that what Linus was really saying? One particular Waterfall we chose to climb will always be that one I will enjoy telling as in the Notebook Movie, it will make the cut. We had pushed ourselves and hiked with the altitude against us, when going down 600 plus feet we were smacked in the face coming back up. I made certain I emphasised to my Daughter as we could have stopped at various points in our desend and been satisfied with turning back but I with all the passion I could envoke, imparted; we want to go all the way because we will often times later look back and wonder what we might have experienced. As I always ask her after she comes home from any trip or somewhere off, what was the best memory and moment and what do you now look back on and wish you would have done? She ignitied a flame into an inferno watching her. She took every "shortcut" and off the beaten path sliding down portions while holding onto vines and branches to climbing up on boulders and having her Mother call her back at times as if an adventerous toddler. She was like Jane looking for Tarzan she was in her element and I never would have thought so before. She kept telling how cool it would be to get lost and have to spend the night out there. One of these falls she had me overflowing with laughter as she quickly alerted the already pooped travelers they should just turn around now. In fact, to one group; she said, "Really, it is NOT worth it. Here, I will show you all our pictures and videos from the bottom, it is the same thing." They eagerly gandered to take a peep and listen to her. We all giggled but it hit me then how parallel this is to us in our own Lives and Persuit of our Dreams. 

We saved the best for last in all of our mountain fun, it was our climb to the top of Whiteside Mountain. We had the best time even when it was tough, we would sing everything from rap, to country, to pop laughing and inspiring one another that we were taking hold of this moment. I had brought one of my favorite picnic baskets from home packed with delectables fitting for our views to savor all our senses and fuel our souls to Dream. This particular one I did not bring it just tucked one of her favorite snacks I had prepared from home in our backpacks with some other snacks and waters. When it got tough and I know we both were chasing the thoughts out with a broom in our minds of stopping and settling for this view; because neither of us whispered one time, for it was not an option for us both. She even remarked as she saw other hikers embarking back down that chose that elevated view was enough; they were going to miss out.  She started chanting her favorite snack and water that she was rewarding herself once we got to the peak. My eyes filled with tears for alas I knew she got it, even if the tippy top picture of us both on this rock 800 ft higher engraved in the stone 4,930ft wasn't that great; she wasn't going to believe it. We were already at the highest incorporated municipalities at 4,118ft, wasn't that enough? My Daughter and I will attest those seasoned goldfish and bottled water have never tasted better then they did that day, at that precise moment; sitting on that rock, with that engraved altitude basking at the beauty we beheld. This is The Wonderment Of Life...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouWQ25O-Mcg