by Emma Bush on May 20, 2012
The most recent hike I’ve ventured upon was Heather Lake, a short drive beyond Granite Falls out by Verlot. Galen and I had actually set out to hike Mt. Pilchuck but somehow we happened across the wrong trail…in the end? The wrong trail was a pleasant surprise.
Heather Lake is labeled ‘moderate’ in difficulty level but I’d be lying if I didn’t say the up and up and up of it, ankle-twisting-rocky-root-rough-and-tumble-stream-snow-covered path could have earned it a ‘difficult.’ The last mile of it was snow…and what started out as inches of it turned into feet, as in a good eight or nine feet of snow. There were a few times where if you weren’t careful you would fall into it. I did hit a hole with my right foot and fell up to my hips in snow…
MUSIC and NATURE = AWESOME
Stream crossing the trail
The hike was worth the reward. The trail ends at Heather lake, surrounded by snow covered peaks. In a word? Beautiful.
The lake.
Surrounded by peaks on all sides
Benind Galen is the lake...FROZEN and covered by snow
by Emma Bush on April 29, 2012
I have been sober for ninety days today! Ninety days ago I reached the lowest point in my life. It was a moment for sure. I won’t lie. I laugh when I tell the story about that night. Not because hitting my version of rock bottom is funny but…because I was a flipping mess and apparently while being a mess I can be pretty quirky. It was a HORRIBLE NIGHT. But someday I hope anyone who had the misfortune to be there with me will laugh with me about it. Let’s go out for coffee and laugh! I’m serious people, when I say it was a moment…I was more or less off my rocker, throwing out knuckles (as in, high five, fist bump style) in between laughing and crying, spilling my deepest darkest secrets with anyone that would listen meanwhile telling everyone I would be fine because God has a plan.
But, what’s a little nervous breakdown in the scheme of things? For me it was the greatest turning point of my adult life. It was the disaster that was years in the making. It was the boiling point that initiated change. And change, although scary as hell, was necessary. And, change has me here, on this misty Sunday spring morning, birds chirping and flowers blooming, enjoying a cup of coffee in my comfortable living room, HAPPY and patting myself on my back for reaching 90 days of sobriety.
Happy. I’m happy, you guys. It feels good.
Thank you to everyone who is unashamed to be open with their faults and struggles because you have encouraged me to do the same and I am no longer embarrassed of the things that have held me back…In fact, I’m proud of the battles I’ve had to fight because they are giving me the opportunity to experience success by overcoming them. Nobody should be ashamed of the things they struggle with. Shame is where we hide, its where we collect secrets and practice the art of false fronted appearances and insincerity. Life is too short to be fake. Thank you to everyone that has been real, because you have encouraged me to be real, and in doing so I’m able to experience life.
