Take a Moment
​            Have you ever had one of those weeks where one thing after another goes off track?
            The car breaks down when your trusted mechanic is away for three weeks. Someone is a no-show at an important appointment, and you lose half your day. You call your insurance company to fix a problem, get passed around to multiple representatives for two hours, and the call gets cut off.
            We had one of those weeks.
            These incidents are not simply aggravating. I don’t know anyone who has time to waste. As parents of a severely autistic son requiring constant supervision, every minute is precious to us. Feeling like “there’s never enough time” under normal circumstances, a series of mishaps can make catching up on lost time feel impossible. 
            How can we get back on track and focus?
            Drop everything for a moment. Stop thinking about deadlines. Stop resenting the time that was frittered away. Be still. Breathe.
            To move forward after a rough patch, find a moment of stillness. Walk in a quiet place, listen for birds, feel a faint breeze on your cheek. Stopping to breathe fresh air and empty our minds can shift us to a positive restart, even if it’s only standing at our front door.
            May we all find a real-life quiet place, or a quiet place within our minds to visit when we need a fresh mindset. Keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Las Gallinas Pond Walk, a calm, quiet place to walk and see swans and many other birds.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 90): :Las Gallinas Pond Walk
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            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! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
 

Urban Pastorale
            “Oh my gosh, that looks just like a painting!”
            I can’t count the number of times I or a family member have said that to each other when the light and composition of something we’re looking at fall into place just right, triggering memories of famous pieces of art.
            That’s how I felt one sunny San Francisco day on a visit to a city park. Famous for our fog, locals make the most of sunshine and blue sky.
            Lone figures stretched out on the grass, reading, sleeping, gazing at the sky. Small groups lounged on blankets spread on the grass. Picnickers, yoga enthusiasts, sunbathers. Colorful clothing. Barely any clothing.
            Something about the light and shadows, the patches of purple, orange and green, and people as abstract symbols dotting the grass brought to mind Claude Monet’s “Luncheon on the Grass,” Georges Seurat’s “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “Picnic (Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe).”
            Even in a large city, it’s possible to find lovely places where color patterns and flickering light transport us into an Impressionist painting mood.
            Find splashes of nature’s colors wherever you are. Listen for bird songs. Watch for bees and butterflies.
            Nature always has something surprising to brighten our view. Keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s Hike Notes, Lafayette Park-San Francisco City Walk, introduces readers to a traditional city park featuring green lawns, picnic areas, tennis courts, a dog play area, and grand bay and city views.
            If you’d like to support HikingAutism, check out the new Support/Shop page!
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            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! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
New this week:
Hike Notes 189: Lafayette Park-San Francisco City Walk

Not Alone
            Extreme life challenges can make anyone feel isolated. As a mom trying to help my severely autistic son have a happy, healthy life, I sometimes feel like I’m climbing up a steep, endless mountain alone.
            But I’m not. My husband, our older son, extended family, and many beloved friends and community members have walked together on our path, sharing joys and struggles.
            HikingAutism readers may have read previous posts about our son Sean’s “autism whisperer.” (In Memory and Thanks) He was a gifted teacher’s aide, about to become a special ed classroom teacher. He worked with Sean on indoor activities to build social skills. He was a devoted outdoor activity companion.
            After his passing, new key figures came into our son’s life. An engaging teacher’s aide. A dedicated special ed classroom teacher. An insightful indoor activity helper. A determined outdoor activity guide. These and many other treasured helpers have made our son’s life better over the years.
            Though I sit alone at my desk producing it, HikingAutism is built on collective experiences with others who share part of our son’s journey. Though I take almost all the photos on HikingAutism (other than from World Walks contributors), I can’t take the ones that I appear in. Our intrepid hiking buddy/outdoor helper has captured some poignant photos over the years. I hand him my camera to get a few shots of Sean and me together, and sometimes a bit of magic comes back. Some of his photos that capture mother and son joy on the trail are now web page title images.
            Speaking of creating a helpful community, Journeys podcast hosts Mark Desa and Krystal Schulze work hard to make those in the disabilities community feel more connected. Check out my discussion with them in their Guest Updates series where we talk about many topics, including isolation. (Listen to earlier interviews under Media.)
            Thanks to everyone for the kind words about the designs (by Sean’s big brother, a graphic designer) on the newly added Support/Shop page and HikingAutism Printify Pop Up Shop page.
            I value independence but am also grateful not to walk the path of life alone. Thanks to all the people who share the journey with our son and family.
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Point Bonita Lighthouse, a striking place during the day, but also a stunning place to watch the sun set.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 13): Point Bonita Lighthouse
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            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! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777

Behind the Design
            I asked our older son, a graphic designer, for help creating designs that reflect the uplifting spirit of HikingAutism.com. Our house is filled with T-shirts, mugs, and tote bags bearing clever and heartfelt messages, many related to causes we care about. I sent him reference photos of our severely autistic son hiking to design from.
            The first design is a silhouette of Sean chugging up a steep hill, rising above the “Just Get to the Trailhead” message that means so much to me from a story I’ve written about before.
            Sean’s challenges with autism and sensory overload were so overwhelming at times that we could barely get him out of his room or the house, much less into the car to go somewhere.
            We’d arrive at a destination for a family outing, and Sean would go into sensory freeze mode in the car. Some days he’d grip the car seat as if his life depended on not leaving that protective space.
            One day it took me and our magical autism helper (In Memory and Thanks) almost two hours to get Sean out of the car. By the time we led Sean the few yards to the trailhead in the Marin Headlands, it was time to leave. We looked at our intended hiking trail, told Sean we’d come back and try again, and drove home. I felt like a failure.
            That evening, a message came in from our helper saying how proud he was of Sean for having the courage to keep trying and just get to the trailhead. His words moved me to tears. Here was a special education expert telling me that we’d accomplished something that day.
            Now I tell people going through tough times that if all they can do on a rough day is get to their starting spot, soak up the atmosphere, and maybe plan for what they’ll do next time, they’ve had a successful outing.
            To see this Just Get to the Trailhead design on various items, check out the newly added Support/Shop page, or go directly to the HikingAutism Printify page. The reference photo of Sean hiking was taken when he had just started up a steep stretch of trail in our beloved Marin County.
            When we’re feeling our most tired and discouraged—physically, mentally or both—remember that just looking out a window or your front door at the sky can lift you up for that day. Keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is King Mountain Loop Trail, a hike that follows a 1.8 mile loop featuring tree-covered trails and bay views in the King Mountain Preserve above Larkspur.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 66): King Mountain Loop Trail
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            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! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777