Comfort Close to Home

Comfort Close to Home
            A little over ten years ago, we’d been feeling trapped at home because our younger son’s sensory processing issues related to autism became so extreme he could barely leave his room anymore.
            With a lot of hard work, unconditional love, and gifted helpers, Sean made his way from hiding under a blanket to confidently hiking mountain trails. Since that time ten years ago, there has not been a single day that Sean did not get outside.
            If he wasn’t at school or his special needs program, he was out walking somewhere, rain or shine.
            Mild cold? He still went for a drive and a short walk.
            Atmospheric river filling our street corners with calf-deep rushing water? Sean still insisted on going for a walk. 
            Wildfire smoke so dense it darkens the noon sky? Sean still had to get out. We took a scenic closed-window car drive for an eerie view of the Golden Gate Bridge, which emerged phantom-like from a brownish orange haze.
            He didn’t miss a single day of getting out of the house—even if only for a short walk—for ten years. Until this week.
            Covid hit our house all at once. Quarantined at home, we’re pushing day five of Sean not going out. When we all feel well enough and are not contagious, we’ll go for a nearby, easy walk. When feeling tired and ill, close, familiar places are a comfort. We won’t walk far, but we’ll soak up the fresh air and sunlight.
            May we all find even a small dose of nature—if only a window view of the sky and birds—even when we’re not feeling our best.
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Sutro Baths, a place near our house and close to our hearts. It offers stunning views of pelicans, ships, and crashing waves, but doesn’t require a lot of walking to enjoy.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 70): Sutro Baths
 
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