I surprised myself by hiking three twenty or more mile days which allowed me to reach Flagstaff in time to spend the night with Chaps. Needless to say I was pretty pooped by the time I got there, especially because the trail app seemed to have some mistakes in this section. It told me that things were closer than they really were so I was really dragging in those last few miles. But I made it and I’ve had time to reflect on some of the things I thought about while hiking into here.

For starters, the scenery on that last day was strikingly beautiful. Snow covered Humphreys Peak was in the distance and became more and more strikingly beautiful the closer I got to it. That snowy peak reflected against a crystal blue sky took my breath away and left me with a sense of awe that I could witness so much beauty in one day. The massive mountain dominates the city of Flagstaff. Humphreys Peak is the highest mountain in Arizona and I climbed it 25 years ago with my then 10 year old son.

I kept thinking about how little things make such a difference; a little rise in altitude changes what I see; a little bit more rainfall changes the vegetation; a little bit further north or south, which affects the climate, changes what’s growing around me. On this trip alone, I’ve gone from cactus filled desert to Ponderosa Pine forest to snowy mountain peaks. And soon I’ll be in the spectacular Grand Canyon.

I thought about how little things in life really can make a big difference. I remembered all the many people on the trails that I’ve been doing these last years who have been kind to me. I recognize what a difference that has made in my life. It helped me keep going even when all I felt was despair and pain. I remember the pleasure of a handful of pistachio nuts or gummy worms, power bars, pop tarts and a cold drink on a hot day. I thought fondly of the couple who gave me a McDonald’s bag filled to the brim and then sent me a pair of hand knit socks. I remember all the many people who have welcomed me into their homes, fed me full meals, allowed me to shower and wash my clothes. And there are people who have shuttled me and taken care of my car for months when I was hiking.

None of these things in isolation might seem so huge but yet all of those kindness have changed me. They were all just one little thing at a time offered to me because I was open to receiving, and these people were open to giving. And now they have all become part of the fiber of my being. I have been changed by a series of little things.

It reminds me I want to be kind in the world and all I have to focus on is just the here and now. I don’t have to wait until I’m able to do some big act in the world. Every single action of every single day has the potential to make a difference in someone’s life.

I view each kindness that has come my way as a miracle and I resolve to offer the same to other people, one small kindness at a time. I’m trying to find something to complement each person I meet whether it’s the clerk in the grocery store, a trail angel, or another hiker on the trail. It will be the work of my lifetime.

As I neared, Flagstaff I had a sense for the first time that I’m really can complete this trail. I know that many people end up having to drop out really close to the end and I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but after the difficult trail down south that had me wondering how can I do this, the little changes in having fewer rocks and fewer up and downs have all added together to make this trail seem within my reach. And I’m working to have that feeling carry over into the next trail which feels more daunting to me than many that I have done.

So while it’s great when peak experiences happen such as seeing a really rare animal on the trail or someone I know winning the lottery. Those things are not the norm in life. We really can’t make them happen and often have little control over the big things, but what is within my control is the ability to be kind in a small way all the time every day, And just like the tiny flowers under the huge Ponderosa, pine trees could almost go unnoticed, I want to learn not to care if other people see or recognize my kindness. The world is full of unsung heroes who share their beauty with the world in quiet unassuming way. I hope to be one of them someday,