I LOVE MOUNTAINS—PICTURES OF THEM AND ONES TAKEN FROM THEIR SUMMITS—ESPECIALLY WHERE THE WEATHER IS WILD OR WEIRD OR THE PRECIPITATION ADDS TEXTURE: CLOUD INVERSION, BLOWING SNOW, MOSSY TREES—VISUAL DELIGHTS.

WHILE IT'S TRITE TO SAY IT, IT IS MOST OFTEN AT A HIGH ELEVATION THAT I STOP FOR A MOMENT, REMINDED THAT WE HAVE SUCH A TINY PART IN A STORY THAT STARTED LONG BEFORE US, A STORY THAT WILL CONTINUE LONG AFTER WE VANISH. SUMMIT VIEWS REMIND ME HOW LARGE THE WORLD IS, THAT WE ARE BUT MOMENTS IN TIME, THAT OUR PROBLEMS ARE VERY SMALL.

I'M REMINDED TO STOP AND SAVOR EACH SWOOSHY HUSH OF WHISPERING PINE, EACH DEEP BREATH OF FRESH VERMONT AIR, AND EACH MAGIC S DOWN THE MOUNTAIN.