The winds of change

Yesterday afternoon, we went for a short hike up high, above treeline, in the nearby mountains. Winter had taken hold. The wind blew from the west with such incredible force that we could barely walk straight into it. The first photo that I took summed up the tumultuous world up high. I accidentally used a very slow shutter time... you can barely make out a blurry black dog and a human pant leg.

The incredible wind seemed to energize the dogs. R found a tennis ball near the trailhead, and he sprinted across the tundra carrying it, never letting Shyla touch it. R is the head of our pack, no doubt.

Shyla sprinted too, through the golden grass reflecting the setting sun.

It was hard for the dogs to hear us over the wind but Shyla sprinted to me when she heard me call.

It had snowed up high the night before. A thin layer remained in the area where we hiked. Nearby tall mountains looked wintry. The white fluffy mass on the horizon was a completely snow-covered mountain with a cloud clinging to its top. The golden sunset reflected off of it.

This time of year always makes me reflective and introspective. I always wonder what will happen over the coming winter. I wonder how the world will change during the deep freeze. Last fall, I was primarily sad to see summer end. I had no idea what would befall us over the winter. For some reason, knowing how naive I was one year ago has made me more introspective and even apprehensive this year. I hope that this phase passes soon.

I certainly have learned that there's no shortcut to recovering from grief. Even having an amazing and loving girl like Shyla join our lives doesn't make it possible to hopscotch over steps in the process.

But, I am so thankful for Shyla. Her zest for life and incredible attitude have helped me to look forward to our future again rather than just looking backward.

Indeed, the season is changing, in more than one way.