Stepping out of the car, and looking at the sign in the distance “Waterton Canyon.” We were finally here, at the start of the Colorado trail. A trip we had been preparing for, for months. We were just doing segments one through five, in about nine days. We wanted to take it slow, especially because this was my first big backpacking trip. It ended up being a very spiritual journey, and I learned a lot. There were times my mind was wandering, and times my mind was quiet enough that I could hear my higher power. I had the ability to separate from the real world, and connect with nature. My time in nature has been where I feel the most at “home,” the most connected to my higher power. On the first day of the hike, we started trudging along the road. I have a tattoo on my arm with flowers, dragonflies, and butterflies. I got the tattoo for my best friend who passed away, and when we were hiking, a butterfly landed right on my tattoo. So I knew she was there with me. That was a very spiritual experience, and an incredible way to start the hike. A few days into the journey I was in a decent amount of pain. When I was going uphill, I was wishing I was going downhill because I was out of breath. When I was going downhill, I was wishing I was going uphill, because my knees hurt so bad. I realized that I go through life constantly wishing for the next moment, and I am lacking the acceptance I need in order to enjoy what is here right now. I then understood that I can so easily change my perspective with the help of accepting what is right here right now. The moment is truly a beautiful place, and I am not able to enjoy it when I am waiting for “the next thing.” This was a beautiful realization for me, because hiking is consistently teaching me how to be better in my daily life. I get to take all the things that I learn out in nature, and use them in my daily life. When I am struggling to get answers, or when I don’t know what to do about a specific situation, I like to get outside and talk to my higher power. Sometimes I will hike, and sort things out in my head. It gives me the time to think things through with the help of nature all around me.