WHAT A DAY!!!! Ivan dropped me off at one end of the park, and we agreed he'd pick me up at the other end. He went off to wonder into the town to get food to make me dinner, as I went off for a speed-hiking/trail running all over. I think he was happy, and I was definitely happy. We are good friends and had agreed beforehand that since we don't have the same interests, we would each do our own thing most of the time anyway, so we could both have a good time and enjoy the park that we both have been wanting to see for some time.
The hike/run was a magical experience. The views, the colors, the rocks, the lakes, the ocean, the island, the blue sky, everything was just absolutely perfect. I wanted to cry. I felt God's presence all over the place. I'm no longer a religious person who goes to church (though I was raised very Catholic), but I certainly am someone that experiences God's presence in every aspect of my life. With every step, with every view, I kept thinking "Thank you God for my legs. Thank you for my knees. Thank you for my eyesight, for allowing me to see the beauty that you laid out for us." I could hardly breathe of how happy I felt. I ran whenever I could (the terrain is super-duper rocky up there), and hiked the rest. I passed EVERYONE around. Not one soul passed me. I know some people think you can't enjoy the land when you go fast, but I disagree - you can totally do both! I don't need to stop to enjoy myself.
As I passed a couple hiking with a baby and chit-chatted, the guy asked me where I was from. When I said Argentina, he told me Jorge Luis Borges was one of his favorite authors. What a great thing to hear! I was expecting he'd say something about soccer, about the economy, about Evita Peron... but I just love it when people tell me about Borges, our Argentine gem in the international literature, and one of my favorites as well (not an easy author to read in case you were wondering...)
Ivan picked me up at the place and time agreed upon, we went back to the campsite and he made a fire and cooked some great dinner.
I found myself thinking something that every once in a while, when I feel lonely especially, I wonder: could I be with someone that doesn't like to hike/run/enjoy the wilderness? Could I just trail run and hike by my self some weekends, go camping alone, and come home to a significant other that enjoys staying home and read, cook, and then enjoy a meal together at dinner time? Even though I enjoy hiking and being outdoors on my own, it's such a big part of who I am, that I think the answer is no. In a relationship it's important to have "your own things", but some things you just need to have in common with your partner, and to me, hiking and enjoying the wilderness is a big one. I can run, bike, swim on my own... Relationships are all about compromise, but there are some things that are non-negotiable.
Thoughts? | 
