Possibilities

Litany Esguerra

7/7/18

Possibilities

What an incredible week! Much of my week first centered around celebrating 4th of July, but I did so much more. First I started out going to work, then celebrating 4th of July, to an awesome Friday seminar day, to hiking for the whole day in Shenandoah National Park. For the fourth, all of us had a big potluck at our place. We all had many guests/friends over, and we were able to bring a blanket on the lawn in front of the Capitol building to watch the concert and the fireworks.I really enjoyed it, but it seemed like the “typical” touristy experience. It was a wonderful time that all of us had to spend with each other and meeting new people, and something I had wanted to experience more in DC for awhile now.

What I really enjoyed this week was the labyrinth and the hike that I went on. For our Friday seminar, we were sent to a wonderful person’s home to go through their labyrinth. It was an experience that allowed all of us to meditate and talk to God on our own. It was a spiritual time since I was able to hone in on what I have been feeling these last few weeks of summer. I went through the labyrinth- something with many twists and turns to allow the mind to wander- and then had the opportunity to reflect. I always like experiences like this because my mind works better through this. I like having the time to wander, when focusing means not actually focusing at all.

I also had a challenging and rewarding time in nature, at Old Rag mountain in Shenandoah National Park. A small group of us rented a car, drove a couple hours to the park, and parked so we could hike for the day. We woke up early and packed up a lot of food for this trip! Our hike was one that I had no idea what to expect. In retrospect, I thought it would be more of a hassle to wake up early to rent a car and hike around, only to get a lot of bug bites and sunburn. But my whole experience at this park was incredible. I did not know until the start of the path that it was classified as “very strenuous,” as the highest level of difficulty among the trails at the park. My crew and I embarked on an ascent up the mountain, first presenting a physically demanding hike up a bunch of rock paths that just kept going up higher and higher in altitude which sometimes made breathing more difficult. Then, we started going up the rock scramble, which is kind of like a non-technical form of climbing over and walking on rocks. It was difficult at times but my body was forced to get up on certain rocks using only my legs and little places to grip. Other times, it paid to be more creative to find ways around a rock to get to a certain place. We were rewarded wonderfully with views, lunch, and good weather at the summit. Going down was another physically difficult endeavor, more because of the strain the rocks can be on someone’s body going with gravity. Our entire hike was around 10 miles long, my body came out a bit bruised and blistered from my Teva sandals, but equally happy with a feeling of accomplishment. I climbed a mountain!

I needed this getaway from the city and the politics. It was easier for me to stay in DC for the day, having the luxury of sleeping in and walking around a museum, which would have been enjoyable. Instead, I came out with a richer appreciation for nature and for the blessing that God gave me to have a young and healthy body that could get me over those rocks safely. It’s funny because there are times in my life where I have gone into something without completely knowing what to expect but still going with it anyway. It is a strength and a weakness, not always planning ahead or finding out what to expect before going into something big. But with that open mind comes the element of surprise- good and bad- at the possibility of gaining more than one could ever want out of an experience. Perhaps that’s why I came to DC. Amidst the hustle and stress that can come from the work I am doing at NDRN, it was so refreshing to instead take a moment outside of that. It started with centering myself from the labyrinth, and rejuvenated from time in nature. Now, I feel excited for the week to come. If I (and others) could climb a mountain, think about the possibilities that can come with pursuing social justice.