A recent hike up Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina reminded me of how hiking with rheumatoid arthritis has shaped me into a healthier person, both mentally and physically. No, this is not a story about overcoming adversity by pushing myself beyond human limits. It’s the opposite actually. It’s about failing and what can be learned from it.
“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.”
~Andy Rooney
Hiking with RA is a lesson in finding balance, something that’s often difficult to learn and even harder to maintain. Push too hard, I end up in bed the next day with swollen joints. Don’t push at all, my muscles get weak and my joints stiffen. I’ve learned this lesson well over the past decade but sometimes I get off balance. Hiking is a great reset for me and here’s why.
Hiking with Rheumatoid Arthritis...
teaches me balance
Rheumatoid arthritis makes it easier for me to stay in balance because when I don’t there are immediate physical consequences. Knowing when to accept limitations and when to challenge myself is a skill that helps in my daily life, and with that balance comes other benefits.
teaches me acceptance
Hiking with rheumatoid arthritis has its challenges, there’s no doubt about that, but it has never stopped me from choosing difficult trails. It has, however, prevented me from completing a trail. Hikers understand that there are many things beyond our control. Weather, wildlife, injuries, unexpected trail conditions — we accept these challenges and find joy in the act of hiking, even when we have to turn around. That’s an important lesson for life in general.
grounds me in the present
I’ve been struggling with this a lot lately. I often feel that time is running out because I know my body has an expiration date and travel will become increasingly more difficult as I age. I want to be traveling NOW. I want to be anywhere but here NOW. Hiking gives my mind time to wander, away from the world and expectations I’ve placed on myself. It’s what I need to remind me that where I am in this moment is just as wonderful as the future that I’m so anxious to reach.
brings me gratitude
Hiking strips away what society tells us we should have in order to be happy and reminds us that true joy comes from simple things that can’t be bought — a beautiful sunset, a quiet walk in the woods, a picnic with a loved one, rare glimpses of elusive animals, trees swishing in the wind. At the same time, RA is a constant reminder to not take my health for granted. I am profoundly grateful every time I get to hike and explore this magnificent world.
Reclaiming myself on Grandfather Mountain
This year has been a struggle for me, both physically and mentally. The medication that has kept rheumatoid arthritis in check for the past 9 years stopped working and I’ve been transitioning to a new medicine. Feeling hijacked by pain and losing some mobility once again was like re-experiencing trauma — which took me by surprise. I thought I had found my inner peace but apparently I haven’t reached Zen Master status yet.
The physical setback directly impacted my positive outlook. I began to doubt myself and my dreams for Eric and I’s future. I isolated myself from others to protect my bruised and battered spirit. I stopped being active, using pain and fatigue as an excuse.
Dwelling in self-pity and doubt is not my style, however, and I’ve learned this about myself because of the arthritis. Hiking Grandfather Mountain was a physical way to reclaim myself. I may not have been able to climb to the very top but therein lies the lesson — I was reminded of what I CAN accomplish and how great it feels when I let go of what I can’t control.
