Perserverance

This week was...rough. In the midst of family health problems back home, a crisis with one of my co-workers and a challenging work week, I was happy to see the weekend come around.


My co-workers ask me every Friday what my plans for the weekend are. Some like to live vicariously through me I think and others want to give me ideas of things to do. As of Friday night, I still had no plan for my Saturday. The usual fallback is either the beach or hiking. Hiking won out this time.

I had wanted to venture to a city in the White Mountains called Moultonborough. It houses the infamous Castle in the Clouds. The mountaintop estate was built in 1913. Nestled in the Ossipee Mountain range, the estate has vista views of Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in the state. While the house and grounds draw crowds of people, I ventured the hour and a half north for a whole different spectacle: waterfalls. Bridal Veil Falls, Fall of Song, Roaring Falls, Twin Falls, and Whittier Falls. That's right, count em, five waterfalls all on one trail.

The directions to the falls were, as usual, vague at best. I bypassed the $16 admission fee (free is always a good thing) to the Castle and parked in the trail head parking lot and started up the Shannon Brook Trail with the hope that I would soon stumble upon the first set of falls. After about a mile of steep uphill hiking, I hadn't heard the rushing of water anywhere. I toyed with the idea of returning to my car and calling the trip a wash, as I was getting deeper and deeper into the forest. But, well equipped with water and granola bars, I trekked forward making the best of the trail I was on.














About another mile of hiking led me to the Brook Trail. It was here that I began to hear it: the rushing waters of a waterfall. A steep decline led me down to the brook bottom and it was here that I found the first waterfall. Fall of Song. A 50 foot drop and nestled between two slabs of granite, it was stunning. Legs tired and the sweat starting form on my brow, I pushed forward and followed the Brook Trail hoping to see the remaining four falls.



In less than a mile, I was able to see all five of the falls. Each had its own characteristics and charming beauty. As I looped back around to head back to my car, I came to an opening with a vista view of the mountains. I took a moment to sit down and take in the view; I reflected on my first week back here after being at home. Getting a taste of life back home made me miss certain things, sure. Having a family member with health issues pulls at my heart and triggers my desire to be there to help. Leaving home was hard, but I know I made a commitment here and have a job to finish. My remaining time here is like my trail hike. I may not know what is around the next bend in the trail, but if I press forward, good things will hopefully await.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.