Obstructed Views
            Looking out my back attic window at the western edge of San Francisco, I can see the Golden Gate Park windmill and the Pacific Ocean in the far distance. On a clear day, I can see white stripes on the distant sea, indicating huge waves. At dusk, during crabbing season, I see the glow of crab fishing boats on the horizon, sometimes right after a dramatic sunset.
            Sounds great, but it is not a clear, easy view. There is a very large tree in my backyard blocking the center. Chimneys and power lines also muddle the ocean scenery.
            The windmill, the ocean, and the sunsets are beautiful despite all the obstacles. My eyes have learned to look past the tree branches and chimneys to see what I most enjoy.
            Life doesn’t hand us easy, unobstructed views on a silver platter. We learn to soften our vision of life’s rough edges and focus on the fulfilling, joyful aspects.
            May each of us focus on something that brings joy or solace, even if we have to squint past the clutter in the foreground.
            This week’s Hike Notes, Golden Gate Heights Park, takes readers to an old-time classic San Francisco city park, set high on a hill. The dramatic views over the Sunset District to the Pacific Ocean are partially obstructed by grand trees in the foreground, but they’re part of the beauty.
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism
New this week:
Hike Notes 153: Golden Gate Heights Park

Play It Again, Sam
            Eating the same two or three food items meal after meal. Playing with only one or two toys over and over. Having to take the exact same route every time to avoid a screaming meltdown. Repetition and rigidly sticking to a narrow, familiar range of activities, objects and foods are traits reflected in a significant percentage of people on the autism spectrum.
            Though eating, watching, or playing with the same thing at an obsessive level can be problematic, one underlying trigger for repetition can be a need for familiarity. If the world feels overwhelming from various directions due to challenges relating to sensory, neurological, and other body systems, it makes sense to cling to the most tolerable food, toy, or travel route because they are more comforting than new, unfamiliar input.
            Working to help a severely autistic person like my younger son be able to broaden his horizons and try new foods, new objects to interact with, and new places to explore can be extremely challenging. The effort has been worth expanding his world, but each step forward was achieved through months and sometimes years of hard work.
            And it’s okay to go back to favorite things we like over and over. Nature hands us seasonal treats on repeat every year, whether it’s the beauty of fresh fallen snow or the blossoms of a favorite flower or tree. Working to live a less restricted life is great, but go ahead and enjoy the comfort and joy of repeated interactions with favorite things in life.
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Magnolia Stroll-San Francisco Botanical Garden, the most-frequently repeated archive hike because it’s hard to resist sharing information on the astounding variety of magnolia trees at San Francisco’s botanical gardens, which usually bloom over the period from January to March.

This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 46): Magnolia Stroll-San Francisco Botanical Garden
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes and photo galleries via the main Hikes page or the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite walks from readers! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism

Finding Beauty in Shadow
            “Scared of his own shadow,” we hear about people who are easily frightened. I feared the dark space under my bed as a kid, wondering what monster might grab my ankle if I dared step to the floor before dawn.
            What perils await in the murky spaces beyond our focus? Do shadows always enshroud evil? Of course not. Darkness conceals the unknown, and not knowing makes us anxious.
            Sometimes good surprises are obscured from view. Behind shady bushes, we might find unexpected blooms. A shadow at the base of a tree might disguise the entrance to a woodland creature’s burrow. In the dappled light and shadows of a tree, we might discern the silhouette of a bird.
            We all walk through dark patches in life but can find meaning beyond them. Through health challenges, we find compassion for others. Through the loss of loved ones, we find greater understanding for those who remain, including ourselves. Through defeated attempts to reach our goals, we discover insights and determination to go forward.
            Through history, people even find ways to draw meaning and goodness from collectively experienced dark periods of pandemic and war.
            May each of us find something uplifting in the light and shadows of our days, and reach out to those who are struggling in the dark.
            This week’s Hike Notes, Junipero Serra Park, introduces a park that offers beautiful nature trails marked by dramatic light and shadow, views of the San Francisco Bay, and multiple playground and picnic areas, close to San Francisco (and near the edge of the San Andreas Fault).
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism
New this week:
Hike Notes 152: Junipero Serra Park

The Easy Route
            Like many others, I thrive on challenges. I’ve learned over the decades, though, that taking the most difficult route, conquering the biggest problem, and choosing the toughest set of obstacles can become an unhealthy habit.
            One downside is frustration when we don’t achieve what we aimed for. We might set goals too high without meaningful reason. We might push to achieve at top level even when we’re mentally or physically fatigued. We chastise ourselves for even considering easier options.
            Some even go into overachiever mode in aspects of life that are supposed to be fun and relaxing, making break time and vacations stressful instead of restorative. I realized over the years that life throws us more than enough difficult curves to navigate. Choosing empty mountains to conquer is pointlessly exhausting without being helpful.
            I still set high goals, but only those with meaningful purpose. I also finally learned to sometimes embrace the easy options the world has to offer.
            On days when my family is looking for fresh air and exercise, but we don’t want to work too hard to get them, we enjoy places geared specifically toward easy family outings. A short nature trail or a park with easy parking, bathrooms and picnic benches are great options for enjoying outdoor time.
            When I read about easy trails suitable for young and old in the new World Walks contribution from England, Holt Country Park, I was reminded of Stafford Lake Park in Marin County, which offers a wide range of activities and walking paths, as noted in archive hike notes Stafford Lake Nature Walk.
            Fifth in a series of World Walks contributions from the Norfolk area of England, Holt Country Park offers family friendly facilities and walking paths in a 100-acre mixed woodland park.
            Getting outdoors for fresh air and exercise should always be uplifting and enjoyable, whether we’re up for an extra challenging hike, or we’re more in the mood for easy trails and plenty of benches to relax on. Smile as you keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Stafford Lake Nature Walk, a park developed to offer a range of outdoor activities in one location.
            Do you have a favorite walk? Share with readers in World Walks! Two or three sentences and photos allow other readers to share your special hike. See the World Walks link for how to submit your walk to share. It’s easy!
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 73): Stafford Lake Nature Walk
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes and photo galleries via the main Hikes page or the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite walks from readers! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism