a reminder in the desert
I’m back from the Modern Elder Academy. It was a rich trip, and leading the workshop was loads of fun. But in addition to wanting to be of service to the participants and ensure they had a transformative experience, I had my own challenge to conquer.
The Modern Elder Academy programming includes a moderate hike up to the top of a ridge, the completion of which rewards you with spectacular views. When I was at the Modern Elder Academy back in August 2024, I was suffering from an angry knee that wouldn’t allow me to even begin to attempt the final ascent. This time, my knee is better, and I was determined to make it to the top.
So this past Friday, we started out just after sunrise.
About halfway along the journey, we stopped at an old shepherd’s hut to set some intentions and listen to some inspiring words, read by one of the hike leaders.
And then, we began our ascent in silence.
Because I’m approaching my very last book tour event,* as we made our way up the ridge, I was thinking about all that 2026 will likely bring to my life. I’ll be working on my next book. Our daughter Alex will be graduating. And our entire family will be spending much longer stretches of time in England. While this is all very exciting, experience tells me that giant events like these can also cause some anxiety and overwhelm, so I was ruminating as I picked my way up the rugged path. The mountain air was thin, but it felt good to move and focus on my breathing while negotiating the steep incline.
Perhaps because my mind was racing, before I knew it, I made it to the top.
And the world opened up.
The views, especially after the somewhat arduous climb, were spectacular. And as I stood there, gasping to fill my lungs with oxygen, and taking it all in, I was filled with pride that I made it to the top — but also, my anxiety and overwhelm about my future dissipated. Because there’s something edifying about the world reminding you of your tiny life, the planet’s beauty, and the universe’s vastness
And the very best thing we can do is take the world one precious moment at a time.
