As I wander through the mountains...

Facing a sun-drenched 2,000ft uphill to 12,000ft, in the California Sierras in the late afternoon on a hot, 80-degree day,

I can look forwards to it.

I soak in a cold creek or lake until I am almost hypothermic, stagger out in my wet shirt and pants, put on my boots, and pack and settle into a cool steady uphill rhythm.

As the rhythm carries me along, my eyes feast on the beauty of my surroundings, and I automatically want to bless the world. My heart swells even more with joy as I send blessings to the world, singing a little ditty like a child's nursery song. "Blessings to the world the world, blessings to the world"

My whole body vibrates,(not from hypothermia, as this is thawing away to a lovely cool temperature) with the song and the ease and the open heart and the love of life and the sheer appreciation for these moments. I shout into the wild spaces around me a refrain I am known for" Yahooooooo!'

What is your go-to internal space for uphills?