A View of the High Country

In the higher elevations Spring's warm touch hardly warmed the flesh. Here a cold wind blew in the open air, and even in the sheltered woods no sanctuary could be found. But I didn't mind too much; after several hours of hiking uphill, my coat was tucked away inside my pack, and although the outer surface of my skin was cold, my blood was pumping out heat inside my body as I climbed higher up the slope. The discomfort was balanced by exertion; the result: conditioning that brought out an edge of sharp, clear awareness. Too much comfort dulls the senses. But up in the higher elevations, another country of mind and spirit joined in sweet harmony, beyond time and dull routine...