Switzerland

I am sitting here in seat 21a flying over Europe and going over the memories that I created this past week. This trip has truly changed something in me. The beauty that is seen through pictures or videos do not do the experience justice. Being there, being in the moment, is just something no photo or video can capture. I stood among giants and I felt small. But at the same time, those giants resemble how I feel on the inside. I found myself just sitting there staring at the mountains, listening to the rushing water, feeling the cool breeze, and just getting lost in it. I climbed up and got next to a waterfall and felt its power as the water crashed on the rocks below. I ran the most brutal, and yet, most beautiful race. I climbed from the bottom of a mountain to the top of it. I looked around me and got lost as the surroundings below me as I climbed higher and higher. I felt the energy on the course as the villagers cheered me on with each hill I climbed. And the view from the top was breathtaking, I looked down and saw how far I had come. And it was at that moment that every ounce of fatigue, every sore muscle, and all the grueling pain was worth it. Climbing that mountain made me stronger, not just physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.

 I look back at the way I felt while I was in Switzerland. I felt at peace, I felt whole, and I felt complete. I remember feeling the cold mountain water on my skin. I remember how refreshing it felt and how it calmed my soul to listen to it rushing around me. I stepped far out of my comfort zone and experienced a new culture and new way of living. I tried new foods and different twists on foods I had previously tried before. I ran along the mountain passes and trails and took in the beauty around me. I did not concern myself with miles or pace, I just got lost in the world around me.

And most of all, I met an amazing soul. A fellow runner who shared a love for the mountains as I did. We created memories and shared experiences. We ran the same race together and both conquered a mountain. We joked, we shared, and we created a friendship that will last a lifetime. She may be on the other side of the world, but she will always be here in my soul.

And now I sit here watching the ocean approaching and the land starting to slowly disappear. It wont be long before I will be landing back in America again and will be that much closer home. I will never forget everything I felt this past week. Because its the feelings that you experience that can not be captured. You can share them with others, but even sharing them cannot fully justify just how much they touched your soul. In Switzerland I did not just create memories, I also discovered a deeper love for life