This week we’re writing about jobs, hobbies, or trips that connect to our books. I could explain how the years I spent as a rape crisis counselor gave me the perfect experience to write my story in a way that contextualized it within women’s broader experiences (hopefully). But…enough with the heavy! (For now.)
Hopefully you’ll forgive me for instead indulging in my favorite topic: the mountains.
The mountainous wilderness serves an important role at the end of my memoir as the “resilience” half of my story. The opportunities I had to climb and run in the Rockies made all the difference as I rebuilt a life in the aftermath of the trauma. Mountain adventuring has been the way I’ve coped with chronic pain, managed post-traumatic stress disorder, and reminded myself to live in the present.
I remain grateful that I continue to have the privilege of seeking out the Rockies as I’ve written and published my memoir. I need them today as much as I needed them when I first sought their comfort years ago.
As proud as I am of those accomplishments, some of the most memorable days I’ve spent in the Rockies are the ones I spent in solitude –
Lynn, you never cease to amaze me!