(Listen to the playlist for the full experience)
On a quiet, overcast weekday afternoon, a quick hike up the Lands End trail in San Francisco could feel almost mystical. Just half an hour before, I was stupidly (as always) in a busy line full of tourists at Tartine to grab a morning bun. But now I am in a different world. And no matter how many hikers pass me by, I feel like I am all alone in a secret world of mine.
As I'm wandering through the path in solitude (even if I actually do have company, because remember I'm in a secret world of mine), sometimes I'm struck with a certain fear (though the source may be unknown).
But I look up, and the calm water tells me that there is nothing to fear.
And that's when I realize, I'm not alone. Suddenly I see life so dense, all around me, boasting in its humbleness.
And I finally see that many have gone down this path before me. All the pain, all the joy, all the special and lonely feelings, they've felt them all, too.
I'm not alone.
You're not alone.