Adventure When You're Lost

"You'd be surprised who the love of your life turns out to be. After all, Adventure fell in love with Lost." ~ Erin Van Vuren

So, we're nothing alike and almost exactly alike. There's a saying that over the years couples tend to begin to look like each other. I'm not sure that we are there yet, but somehow over our time together we have come to resemble each other in the oddest of ways and it comes out at the funniest of times.

Saturday our plans for our morning hike were shifted, which totally turned out to be great. This actually had to have been part of the "Master Plan" as it was the most beautiful day we've seen here in North Texas in a while and we ended up on an amazing 70-degree afternoon outing. 

It was perfection. 

Anyway, what transpired throughout the day leading up to the hike was a whole lot less than perfect. It was just one of those days where my every flaw was screaming at me so loudly I could not remember who I was or where I was going. But you know... 20 years of marriage and all seeped in and my guy stopped me in the middle of one of my 600 fits that day and, well, he forced me to take a breath. He put his hand on my shoulder, lowered his voice, wrapped me up in those arms and then, I fell apart. 

After about what seemed like forever and a whole lot of tears and some slobber, (so attractive, I know) I finally settled. He convinced me to put on the shirt that I had just thrown across the room because I felt like it was too small and my new Salomons and get ready to get out in the sunshine. 

And while I run the risk of offending some ultra independent women out there by what I'm going to say next, it really needs to be said. 

He did something that had to be done in that moment: 

He led me. 

You see, I was so lost in my insecurities and what I saw as all of my flaws that day that I needed someone to lead me out. And when I just couldn't deal, he reigned me in and convinced me to lace up my shoes and hit the trails with him. 

So I did and he was right and it was all I needed. 

By ten minutes in, I was feeling like myself again. And although we were out there with what felt like every other human being that had been hibernating all winter, it was perfect. 

Once I started to calm down and we could focus on other things, we began to really enjoy breaking in our most recent investment for this new hiking lifestyle we are enjoying. 

At our backpacking basics class a few weeks ago, the instructor convinced us that the most important things we would need would have everything to do with caring for our feet. So with a little planning, some budgeting, and the grace of God, we made our first legit hiking purchases and grabbed some new treads and socks that have, get this, a lifetime guarantee. Who knew?  

Shopping for this gear was no joke. We spent over an hour at REI getting fitted, talking about our outdoor needs and what our future outdoor plans were just to find the right shoes. I'm sorry, did I say we? I meant I. I spent over an hour finding the right ones. Mr. Focus walked in and found his in less than ten minutes. 

Nevertheless, the intensity of the whole experience ended up reminding me of a weird combination of buying a car and adopting our rescue dog. 

The rest of our hike consisted of enjoying the sunshine, perfect temperature, and lots of talking about all of the things in this life we have to be grateful for including how absolutely on point our new shoes were. We were wondering how in the world we ever lived without real hiking shoes when we encountered one of my favorite short climbs, and I remembered exactly how and why God put us together.

This picture doesn't show the intensity of this small, but steep climb so it's hard to tell that it requires a little more effort than you would think. But, what it does show is that you have two options...the carefully placed rocks or, well, the other way. 

And funny enough I am the girl who always gravitates towards the tougher choice. You could put the easiest path in front of me, no matter what it is in life, and I am going to end up going for the harder option. 

Why? 

WHO KNOWS!?!?!

 I wish I could say something super empowered like, "It's because I love a challenge", but that is just not true. I am not that girl. I really can't even tell you why I tend to opt for the more difficult path other than it's just who I am and there really is no logic to it. 

So, what happened when we were at the foot of this thing and I asked my guy which way he wanted to go? He said, "Let's go to the right."

Sigh...

That's why he's mine.You see, he's all about practicality and what makes the most sense and having a plan for E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. But, then sometimes he kind of "looks like me" and goes the hard way just because. 

And when I'm having a rough day, that's just the kind of leading I need. 

At the end of the day, I guess that's what this big adventure is all about. 

Some days when you're feeling lost, you have to lean on someone else to lead you out and if you're really lucky they "look" a little bit like you.