Because

Because
I cry:
   because the challenge is relentless.
   because I can’t help those who have it even harder.
   because I’m tired.
   because strangers are kind, and friends are resilient.
   because I love my son.
   because of trees, ocean and sky.
   because tears are a path for an overflowing heart.
 
            Special needs families get to enjoy a unique kind of love while coping with difficulties that are unfamiliar to many. One of the hardest things for our son on the autism spectrum is to spend even one night away from home, much less two.
            One of the things I most love to do is be out and about in the world. A world traveler in my pre-autism life, I now struggle to get our motley crew out for even a one night cabin stay near home.
            Once in a great while, with a lot of effort and help, we manage to get a little further afield. For decades, I dreamed of seeing the Big Sur coast. We recently had that chance.
            This week’s Hike Notes are about one of my favorite walks during our Big Sur visit: Pacific Valley Bluff Trail. An inconspicuous gate opens to a cow field, with waving wheat bordering the path to the edge of the bluffs. It made for a perfect comforting blend of the cow fields where I grew up back east and the dramatic shores of the West Coast where I live now.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
            The list of hikes is getting long! Please check the Quick View Hike List or scroll down the main Hikes page to see the current list of hike notes.
New this week:
Hike Notes 29: Pacific Valley Bluff Trail