Barefoot in Moab

Happy Labor Day!

This weekend was one for the books. With all the little things that seemed like setbacks and roadblocks, there were also things that opened up exciting adventures, lessons and memories.

To start, let's talk about where Moab is. It is in Utah, about 3 ½ hours from where I live, where Arches National Park is located. There are so many breathtaking views, hikes, river rides, zip lines, and natural monuments that can capture your love and awe. It's truly made by heaven. It is famous for the Arches, particularly Delicate Arch, which is the main photo for this week's newsletter.

There are miles and miles of the beautiful red rock and panoramic landscapes that you can bask in all day. You can drive to many of them, but there are some you will have to hike to. If you are interested in going, this article has a good breakdown.

I haven't been to Moab since before covid, so I was excited to get back into nature and do some hiking. My body is still weak from all the chemo, radiation, and surgery, so my physical endurance is not what it once was. But I stay optimistic and push myself because I want to build up my resistance again.

***Please note: If you are ever going to visit Moab, you now have to reserve your tickets to the park in advance. This is new, and very discouraging for all the people traveling from afar who get turned away because they didn't have an online reservation. Which happened to us. 😠

After sitting in a line for 30 minutes to get into the park, we were told to turn around and leave, go back into the town where there was service, and make an online reservation. There were HUNDREDS of people getting turned out of the park because this new rule isn't publicized anywhere and nobody knew!

It was quite frustrating to say the least. I know I'm not the only one! So we turned around, went back into town and stopped at a gift shop where some amazing ladies booked us a reservation from their computers. Luckily there were lots of tickets left, but only for the afternoon portion of the day when it was the hottest.

So we just hung out for a while until it was our turn to enter the park, where we again sat in line for 30 minutes. (Each car costs $30 to get in FYI if you're planning to go).

Finally we got into the park and began the drive through all the red rock, stopping at viewpoints along the way. Many people say the desert isn't beautiful. But I find it quite breathtaking. The unique colors, the natural formations, the grandiose of the rocks and cliffs- it's really spectacular.

It was so fun to see the world through the eyes of my 3 year old. She was in awe of everything, and the simplest things brought joy to her soul. Every stop we made, she bolted out of the car and tried to run everywhere and explore. She would play in the dirt and sand, build little formations with sticks, rocks, and berries and thoroughly enjoyed just playing outside and getting dirty.

Before long, we got to the Delicate Arch hiking trail. It was 97 degrees outside. No wind, no cloud cover. Just desert heat. Was the 3 mile round trip hike worth it? Well, we didn't drive 3 ½ hours in holiday weekend traffic, go through all the hassle of getting tickets into the park, and brave the Moab cockroaches just to turn back now!

So we loaded up on water, snacks, and began the hike. For the most part, it was not too difficult. But there was one section that was on a steep incline over straight rock that made everyone suffer, especially in 97 degree heat.

We were all shocked that my mother in law was the first person up that rock! She cruised! It was so cool to see her and we all got a happy laugh from it. My husband and I brought up the rear, carrying our 3 year old who got distracted with every little detail along the way.

Once we made it to the top of the rock, we really started to feel the heat. But we still had a ways to go, so took some time to rest in the shade and fuel up. My daughter kept saying “too hot” and took off her shoes. She immediately felt better and wouldn't put them on the rest of the way.

Once we started back up again, it was almost like she did better without shoes than with shoes. Like my mother in law, she cruised! Up and down and all around— running, jumping, climbing—she was everywhere. And she was fast! It took new effort to keep up with her.

And we were having so much fun. We held her tight as we walked near the edge of the trail or cliff, and let her explore on the sections that were flat. Seeing what she found interesting opened my eyes to new little specks of the beauty of nature.

And then we turned a corner and saw it— the Arch we had come so far to see. It was breathtaking. I didn't remember how epic it really was until I was close to it again.

When I see things like this, it brings a sense of peace to my heart. Nature astonishes me. And being able to share these epic moments with my family is priceless. I'm so grateful to God for his creations, for giving me the gift of my family, and granting me the blessing of extended life to enjoy these precious moments and experiences.

I am so proud of my little girl, Arwen, who basically hiked this entire trail by herself. I want her to grow up experiencing these types of adventures and pray she will learn to love it as much as her dad and I do.

But I keep going back to why she didn't want to wear any shoes? The rocks and sand were hot, there were little sticks and pebbles everywhere, and she was the only person out of hundreds who wasn't wearing shoes. So what was the reason?

Here's what I think: Before taking off her shoes, it was like she was limited in her ability to run and play. The heat got to her. But after she took them off, it was like she was FREE. Free from pressure, free from expectation—free spirited.

I want more moments like this in my life. To feel a sense of freedom. To just be. There are always external pressures, expectations, deadlines, or people relying on us. I think that if we don't intentionally make the time to be FREE, then we won't ever get it.

Hiking this trail gave me a sense of freedom. Freedom for me is no service on my phone where external forces can get to me. It is also not being around a screen. Screens will always put into our minds something to think about—whether movies, books, podcasts, talks, or social media. Sometimes those things can be positive things, but it is still an external force influencing our thoughts.

Being in nature, alone or with those you love, with just your thoughts and conversation, is one huge way to experience a sense of freedom. It's truly living in the moment. Just like Arwen, I felt free on that trail. Even though I was exhausted, dizzy from the heat, and weak from cancer, I still did it.

Moral of the Story: Be intentional about creating the FREEDOM moments. Even with all the pressures and expectations of work, fulfilling responsibilities at church, making all the deadlines for projects, paying bills, setting appointments, delivering on what others ask of you, and doing all that life requires, each of us still needs to actively set aside the time to be FREE. We need to be able to think for ourselves (or be alone with our thoughts), have real conversations without distractions, and take our shoes off every once in awhile.

I'm of the opinion this can best be accomplished in nature. And guess what— it takes effort to get out in nature. There can be a lot of preparation that goes into it. But when you're there, away from the world, it makes all the work 100% worth it.

I encourage you to plan an experience that will help you to feel free. To just be without any outside expectation. To connect with yourself and the ones around you. To have moments without pressure are truly liberating.

Freedom isn't free. I guess that phrase can apply to a lot of things, can't it?

Until next week,

Erica ❤️🌺

PS: I am really wanting to reach more people in hopes these life lessons can be a benefit for others. I know I'm just starting out and not an amazing writer yet. But if you find value in these weekly emails, I would love it if you would share! You can share this link on social media, through text, or forward an email. I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you!