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My Miracle
May. 20th, 2006 08:47 amI woke up bright and early to go hiking this morning. I decided to hit the Linda Vista Loop because I wanted to try and climb the mountain. I know that's too ambitious of me, given my (lack of) physical condition, but I thought I could climb part of the way. I was on the trail and hiking by 6:30 a.m. There was no one else around and I enjoyed the solitude. This trail offers a beautiful view of the city as you climb through the foothills. I reached the end of the loop, the point where the trail turns around and starts back down. However, there is another path leading up the mountain and I decided to follow it. I went up the mountain for a while, perhaps 25 minutes. It was hard for me, lots of climbing and wobbly footing. I tried to keep pushing myself further, because I felt so close the to the first peak. I thought for sure I could get there.
However, I suddenly felt very light headed and it seemed that the sky was spinning. I sat down to catch my breath and take in the view. I felt it was time to turn around, even though I had come so far. After my heart rate had returned to normal I started back down and it was much more difficult. I slipped twice, but thankfully I didn't fall down. I could just see myself rolling down the mountain, just like on the Princess Bride :) Because of the rocky terrain and the sand making it worse, I kept my eyes down to watch where I stepped each time. I wasn't looking ahead of me at all.
As I rounded a curve towards the bottom of the mountain trail, I suddenly heard someone yell loudly. I had my iPod on and this man had to yell twice before I heard him. I took off my iPod right away, and he said "There's a rattlesnake on the trail." Sure enough, right between us there was a large rattlesnake stretched across the trail. I wouldn't have seen it until I was right upon it if that man hadn't been there. I was paying attention to the ground directly in front of me with each step. Besides that, I had my music on so loud that I may not have heard the snake's rattling. We both stood still for several moments while the snake took its time leaving the path. After the path was clear, the man walked past but I still hesitated a few moments. When I finally did get the courage up to walk past, the snake rattled at me. I felt like it was still close enough to get me, but I wanted to hurry away from there.
I have no doubt that the Lord was protecting me today. That man was the only person I saw during the whole time I hiked. I was out there for an hour and a half. It was not a coincidence that he happened to be there to alert me of the snake. I'm so thankful that I made it home safe and sound. If I'd been bitten, I might not have been able to make it back to the car on my own. I still had about 45 minutes of hiking left.
I'm not going back to that trail on my own :)
However, I suddenly felt very light headed and it seemed that the sky was spinning. I sat down to catch my breath and take in the view. I felt it was time to turn around, even though I had come so far. After my heart rate had returned to normal I started back down and it was much more difficult. I slipped twice, but thankfully I didn't fall down. I could just see myself rolling down the mountain, just like on the Princess Bride :) Because of the rocky terrain and the sand making it worse, I kept my eyes down to watch where I stepped each time. I wasn't looking ahead of me at all.
As I rounded a curve towards the bottom of the mountain trail, I suddenly heard someone yell loudly. I had my iPod on and this man had to yell twice before I heard him. I took off my iPod right away, and he said "There's a rattlesnake on the trail." Sure enough, right between us there was a large rattlesnake stretched across the trail. I wouldn't have seen it until I was right upon it if that man hadn't been there. I was paying attention to the ground directly in front of me with each step. Besides that, I had my music on so loud that I may not have heard the snake's rattling. We both stood still for several moments while the snake took its time leaving the path. After the path was clear, the man walked past but I still hesitated a few moments. When I finally did get the courage up to walk past, the snake rattled at me. I felt like it was still close enough to get me, but I wanted to hurry away from there.
I have no doubt that the Lord was protecting me today. That man was the only person I saw during the whole time I hiked. I was out there for an hour and a half. It was not a coincidence that he happened to be there to alert me of the snake. I'm so thankful that I made it home safe and sound. If I'd been bitten, I might not have been able to make it back to the car on my own. I still had about 45 minutes of hiking left.
I'm not going back to that trail on my own :)
