song: weight of the world
Hello all! I hope this blog finds you in a good mental space.
It has been a whirlwind of experiences here in Spain and I’m coming at ya with another field trip. This time, I explored the mountainous country of Andorra! Fun fact: While some assume that Andorra is part of the country of Spain, Andorra is actually its own small country.
For today’s blog, I’ll share a bit about my 3-day trip to what felt like another planet.
My alarm rings under my pillow four times before I roll out of bed in a tired daze. I quickly get ready, triple-check my suitcase, and book it to the elevators down the hall. Time check – 7:30am.
The elevator dings and I roll my suitcase through the lobby, waving at the nice security guard posted at the front desk. I open the front door to the sound of the bustling Barcelona streets with speedy taxis, loud buses, and dinging bike bells. I scurry along the crosswalk, weaving through people and on a mission. I cross the lot in front of the train station, sprinkled with people and their suitcases. I rush down the escalator to take the metro, praying that the metro is on my side today (I swear, it usually is not). You may be wondering why this is a highlight – because the METRO WAS ON MY SIDE! So I made it to the meeting point, God bless.
The bus rolled along the bumpy winding roads to a parking lot surrounded by trees. A dark wooden cabin kept watch on the left and a trail began to the right. Cold brisk air hit my cheeks as I walked down the stairs to leave the bus. I zipped my jacket up to my chin and turned to the enthusiastic tour guides standing in front of us. They looked at our shoes and made remarks about how no one’s shoes were ready for hiking. I chuckled at their honesty and prepared to struggle through the hike. After some steep steps and rocky terrain traveling, we came upon a bridge that stunned us into silence.
“Picture?” My friend Kelly asked, eyebrows raised. I sighed with a small smile before agreeing.
If you know me, you know that I’m not a fan of taking pictures of myself. I don’t even have social media. But Kelly called herself the paparazzi because she often offered to take pictures of us on trips as if we were celebrities. I oblige, solely because I get to be her paparazzi too.
The soft blue water glistened in the sunlight. Small birds flew swiftly among the trees. I gazed around me in complete awe. Have you ever seen The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe? Well, imagine Narnia in the spring and your mind probably created a view similar to the stunning forests of Andorra. I felt like Aslan would emerge from the mountains at any moment. I felt like we were on a movie set or in a snowglobe – without the snow, of course. There, standing among the beauty of nature, my shoulders relaxed and a strong wave of gratitude washed over me.
tip of the week: Dedicate time, every day, to be grateful for how far you’ve come.