Physically, proper mountain women love the mountains because we are attracted to them. Just like when a good-look'n guy walks by wearing a good-look'n pair of jeans, the mountains get a double take. Sometimes a third take. And sometimes we can't take our eyes off of them. Their massiveness and jagged edges call to us proper mountain women. We yearn to know their secrets, and to find their hidden meadows and quiet peaceful spots. We wish to inhale their rugged smells and to feel the sun on our skin. We need to see where the winding trails and shadowy forest paths lead to. We want to summit the mountain peaks and feel our legs grow tired near the top. And we can't wait to wear our flannel shirts and thick cotton socks to cozy up to the mountains for a good night's sleep.
Spiritually, proper mountain women love the mountains because of their wonder and majesty. We are humbled by their existence, we feel that they were not created by accident, without purpose - they were created with love by God, who knew we would be inspired by them. They were his way to capture the attention of even those who don't consider themselves religious. If church is supposed to be a place where you are taught and edified by The Spirit, a place where you can feel peace free from distractions... then the mountains are God's enormous chapel, He even made cell phone service impossible in most of them so He could talk to you better. It's rare when I go to the mountains and don't come back with a clearer head full of positive thoughts and energy.
Symbolically, proper mountain women love the mountains because they represent challenges in our own lives. If we were to view the hard things we are faced with in life with the energy and awe we give to summiting physical mountaintops, nothing would be impossible, Mountains are hard to climb, many times while hiking I have to stop and take a break, especially near the end. Sometimes my legs are even shaking as I make my slow way to the peak and my heart is pounding in the thin air... but every mountain can be conquered. When the hike is hard and I want to quit, I stop and look around me, and I start to feel grateful for the chance to be among nature, to be able to see wild flowers and fall leaves, and grateful my body can carry me. This is how challenges in life are, hard as they may be, if you take time to pause and look around you, life becomes wild and beautiful... and you become grateful for the adventure. Afterwards your legs will be tired, but accomplishing hard things is rewarding and essential to growth. I truly love the Better Know a Proper Mountain Woman Project on this blog, seeing what our proper mountain women answer for question #4 is inspiring. We all face such different challenges and mountains and the strength proper mountain women use to conquer those mountains is beautiful and brave.
These reasons are why a proper mountain woman can't stay away from the mountains. Their beauty, strength, and challenge are completely bewitching to her. Whether hiking through a canopy of bright fall leaves, riding a chair lift to the top of a snowy slope, taking a drive and picnic lunch up the canyon, or simply pausing as she goes about her day to gaze up at them... a proper mountain woman's heart is drawn to them. And whenever she happens to find herself standing on a high mountain ridge, surrounded by the view of a never ending mountain range, a proper mountain woman's heart will become energized. As she gazes across broad mountain faces covered in pines and quakies, and at the immense territory of peaks and pinnacles jutting up toward the sky, the delight and glee in her heart will grow. She will clasp her hands to her bosom to try and clutch the giddy warmth rising within her. She will close her eyes, tilt her head back, and she will breathe in the mountain air. The smell of pine will fill her lungs and the cool air will tousle her hair. When she reopens her eyes, they will dance across the mountains while her heart sings. She will want to laugh because of the wondrous beauty before her.
SHE LOVES THE MOUNTAINS.
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