My mother calls presents she buys for herself "to me, from me" gifts. Since childhood, she's taught me that purchasing something for yourself can mean getting exactly what you want, no strings attached. I guess I was channeling her energy last spring, when I bought myself an "engagement ring. I didn't set out to go solo-hiking in Colorado Springs. In fact, I didn't plan on be in Colorado Springs at all. It was an April afternoon, and I had picked up a few extra shifts at a bar I used to work at.
I realized that I had quite a bit of money saved up, and decided to go visit a few friends in Denver, CO. They planned a week-long trek for us through the Colorado National Monument , an endless stretch of plateaus and canyons, decorated with unbelievable red rock formations.
I'll admit I was excited: I cherish spending time in nature, especially surrounded by the people I care out. While I earnestly enjoy exploring new places, my generalized anxiety often keeps me from adventuring to the fullest.
In my day-to-day life, it can be hard for me to get out of bed and get out the door. Thankfully my Denver friends are certified "nature people," so I felt confident letting them plan our trip.
They studied our route, mapped out our camping spots, and even gathered the food and supplies. All I needed to do was get to Denver. That was all well and good, until a tornado caused my Denver-bound plane to make an emergency landing in Colorado Springs. After sitting on a parked plane for close to four hours, my flight was shuttled to a nearby hotel and told we could take a bus to Denver the following day.
