What I Did On Summer Vacation - Part Three

Day Three: A Birthday on the Mountaintop

Your birthday is supposed to feel like waking up on top of a mountain. This year, that’s exactly what I did.

But something else happened that made me feel even more like I was standing at a peak. Someone who had made every holiday that year special, someone I hadn’t heard from in a while, sent me a message. I had turned my phone off for the night, but they sent a their message as a text and a Snapchat, ensuring I would see it when I turned it back on. A midnight birthday message. A simple thing, but it filled my heart.

The day was spent exploring the mountaintop, capturing its beauty through my lens. More importantly, I spent time with myself, listening to the beat of my own heart and the rhythm of my thoughts, uninterrupted by the outside world.

This might have been the day I photographed Blue Mountains Wild. The song Scotland Forever Scotland the Brave by John McDermott played daily then, and it still does.

Pure freedom. Mountains, clouds, ponds, and lakes surrounding me. Nothing but the open sky above and the world stretching endlessly below.

As the sun dipped lower, I collected more water and lightened my load in every way I could. Shedding unnecessary weight, both physically and mentally felt symbolic like leaving behind more than just extra gear. With my pack reorganized and my mind clear, I planned out the final descent and the last stretch back to the bus station.

But I still had one more day. One more sunrise, one more trek through the wild before returning to the world below. The journey wasn’t over yet. That night, I fell asleep to the sounds of the wilderness, knowing that tomorrow held one more adventure—one that would stretch my skills to their limits.