I might sound trivial, but the resemblance between life challenges and forest trails is striking. Unexpected downs, alarmingly steep ups, slippery slopes and branches, dry branches—danger for careless eyes, one cannot rest for a single moment. One had to manage balancing listening to birdsongs and staying on a narrow path, watching sunbeams through the dense canopy of pine and birch trees and considering the stability of rocks under a horse’s feet.

All and all consisted of contrasts that day: milky patches of snow, jade, dense forest, moon about the hills and mountains and fading sunset. How beautiful! Oh, where to find words to describe that reflection of moonlight in the river. Oh divine grace of God, of His artistic heart that created a little man, a little me, and placed in the centre of such days and places as we have witnessed today.

Mountains are calling once again. I dare say, anyone who lives in Alberta said that cliche phrase at least once a skiing winter or hiking summer seasons. Yet, they truly are calling.

Just yesterday I watched the video my sister-in-law created on ten days of our driving through Vancouver Island. Some moments already dared to escape my memory, thus it was a necessary refreshment before I would write down the itinerary that hopefully would be helpful to other travellers. Watching that video made me wonder whether I would change anything in our routes, and I did not find such a desire in my mind.