Two Steps Forward

Two Steps Forward
            My younger son Sean, who is challenged by severe autism, was so overwhelmed by sensory overload in his early years that he could barely get out of the house, much less go for long hikes.
            With a lot of work, we got him out in nature to walk. He often walked while clinging to one of us parents, head on one of our shoulders. Or he walked with his head slumped down and his shoulders hunched.
            We often did what we called the “Fred and Ginger,” moving face to face with Sean, one of us guiding him like Fred Astaire while he moved backwards like Ginger Rogers. Instead of being light on our feet, we were slow and dragging.
            Even when walking forward, Sean often shuffled his feet along the dirt, barely picking them up off the ground, though he did move forward. Maybe he liked the feeling of scuffing his feet.
            Our outdoor activity helper suggested he try using hiking poles. Sure enough, over time with some coaching, Sean started walking with better posture. He lifted his head a bit, though he still looked mostly at the ground. He still liked to scuff his feet, though the hiking poles helped some.
            Many years later, Sean walks with pretty good posture without using hiking poles, though he still keeps his head tilted toward the ground.
            He picks his feet up step by step much better than he used to, but once in awhile that scuffing habit kicks in again.
            When I encourage readers to, “Keep putting one foot forward!” I mean that both literally and figuratively. Step by step, we can all make progress. And if you slip back a little sometimes, that’s okay, too.
            As people repeatedly told us over the years with Sean, life often involves taking two steps forward, then one step back, but that means we’re still moving forward!
            This week’s Hike Notes, Gerbode Valley-Bobcat Trail, offers a hike offering views of the soft rolling hills of the Marin Headlands and the ocean, all over a relatively easy rise in elevation.
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New this week:
Hike Notes 201: Gerbode Valley-Bobcat Trail