Slice of Life: Hiking provides the cheapest form of therapy
Growing up in Newbury Park for most of my life, I can say with a full chest that I do not take advantage of it enough. In addition to In-N-Out and Potrero Road late at night, there are miles and miles of trails that curve and switchback like our own patchwork. I have attempted to hike them at least once a week for the past year now, and something I’ve learned is that a good hike can get you through nearly anything. Breakups, failed tests, catching up with an old friend, missing a loved one, or being in desperate need of alone time, the trails surrounding us have a good way of mending those gaps.
On one of my most recent hikes down Satwiwa, we were halfway through the trail when my family friend stopped, turned to me and told me he knew his girlfriend was cheating on him. Then the worst happened: he asked me what he should do about it.
John Muir, American naturalist, said it best: “In every walk with Nature one receives far more than they seek.” And boy, did I receive much more than I sought. I remember him crying when we reached the end of the stream. He washed his face with the fresh runoff and got back up. By the end of the hike, he felt more sure of the situation, and we had drafted a “we need to talk” text in his notes app. Fresh air and sunshine really go a long way.
Every time I reach the beginning of the trail again, I am almost always a little lighter than when I first started, and I don’t mean purely in pounds. Mid-hike the next day, it was confirmed she not only had been cheating on him, but she was cheating on him with his best friend. This was a traumatizing experience for him, and it would’ve been easy to turn around and head back home. But he persevered and finished the hike. The trails around Newbury Park have seen versions of myself and my loved ones that I somehow only find in nature. I remember him telling me that the only thing that got him through the breakup was staying away from his phone, and being in nature allowed him to do that.
So, if you ever find yourself stuck, whether it’s because of another person, school, family or your own thoughts, go outside. We have so many incredible trails to take advantage of here, and they’re within arms reach. You may not find everything you’re looking for, but you will find a version of yourself who can keep going.
