It’s been several months since I took Eric to Ken Caryl Valley for the first time.

It was slow-going at first, as we carefully walked a flat, paved trail around Brandon Gearheart park, careful not to push too hard. However, as the days turned to weeks, and weeks to months, Eric’s health improved exponentially. Our hikes have gotten longer and more remote, over increasingly rugged and tough terrain. Yet, we've taken less breaks, and the ones we have taken have gotten much shorter. 

Needless to say, it has been a joy to witness such a miraculous recovery after all Eric’s been through these past eleven months. And I am more than happy to play a role in that recovery. 

While I’ve known for years that spending time in nature- in God’s wonderful, untouched creation- is vital to one’s physical, mental, and spiritual health, this year’s only solidified that notion. Not only have these trails healed Eric in ways nobody thought was possible, but they’ve kept me sane as I’ve been fighting through this 14-credit semester, packed full of ridiculously difficult classes. 

Indeed, it has been a fight to keep my head above water, academically-speaking. Somehow, I’m not just keeping all of my grades afloat. I actually have an A in Molecular Biology, and Bs or Cs in everything else! Evidently, whatever I’m doing is working. However, as the semester wears on with no break in sight till Thanksgiving, I’ve been feeling increasingly worn down, anxious, and overwhelmed. 

If I didn’t have access to the valley, I don’t think I’d still be passing all of my classes, let alone doing so while still (somehow) keeping my overall health intact. 

However, I must admit that the cracks are starting to really show.