9 Peaks, 13 Miles, 4,500 Foot Elevation

I recently turned 49. It felt like a big birthday, 7 cycles of 7, last of the 40s and all that. When I was a kid, I was a gymnast. Then at 13 I started experiencing severe back pain, and I was diagnosed with all sorts of problems that would plague me for 30 years. And then, shortly after my back no longer really bothered me, I began dealing with incapacitating sciatica that morphed into bearable but challenging sciatica for a couple of years. For an athletic person who practices Aikido and dances, recurring and debilitating pain that prevents movement has been especially frustrating.

So, for my 49th birthday I set my goals high. I planned a 9-peak, 13-mile, 4,500 feet of elevation hike with my husband in Acadia National park. To psych myself up, I did 49 rolls in Aikido class the night before. We enthusiastically hit the trail at 8:50 a.m. on a misty day, seeing nary a soul for several peaks. By 5 p.m., when we were embarking on the last mountain, we were exhausted, but in reasonably good spirits, and the reward was a swim in a lovely alpine pond to cool off.

Now my calves are sore, but it feels great to know that at 49 I’m actually stronger and more fit than I was as a teenager. My back is strong, and I look forward to entering my 50th year knowing that when I set my sights on a goal, I can achieve it.

So can we all. So let’s set our sights on the most important goals: a peaceful world, a restored environment, a compassionate society, and an end to cruelty, exploitation, and oppression. There’s no reason we can’t achieve these goals, too.

For a better world,

Zoe Weil
Author of Most Good, Least Harm and The Power and Promise of Humane Education

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