When Cullen came to us he was nothing more than 4lbs of
bones and fur, not that he wasn’t cared for, but being the runt of the litter didn’t
give him the chance to thrive at his start. For that reason alone I never
envisioned him being capable of hiking all 48 4,000ft. mountains in NH.
However, we currently only have two hikes left until Cullen is officially the
smallest dog ever to have
accomplished such an overwhelming task, and we’ll get nominated into the elite
AMC 4,000 footer club.
There was a point in my time when I lost the true meaning of
this life. Not that I was depressed, my support system was top notch, but I was
eager. I knew that there was more to life than the average day-to-day lifestyle
most of us fall into; waking up, working, dinner, and bedtime. As I continued
to spend more time with Cullen he and I would go for hikes that led me to unspeakable
beauty, excitement, and enchantment. As we both continued to grow I realized
our hikes turned into journeys, I was starting to live a life I was content
with.
I was no longer bound to a schedule that choked my
happiness, and I was breathing deeper than I ever had. The mountain air filled
my core with purity and gratification. After Cullen and I had hiked our first
4,000 footer, which at the time was truly challenging, we were hooked. So,
Saturday January 7, 2012 we took on the challenge to stand atop all 48, and as
of Thursday May 30, 2013 we have stood on the summit of all but four of them, leaving
us with two hikes to go. The experiences we have shared in those mountains are
beyond the words I could write, and no right adjective, sentence, blog, or book
will ever be able to justify or grasp what we have been through together. All I
can do is write down the truth and hope that gives enough insight on how special
our time spent together is.
We are all capable of overcoming such empowering and testing
challenges. We all have the control to make whatever change we want, and make
whatever dreams reality. What’s required is the courage to accept the change
that comes along with the journey. I know now that I am much changed from the
person I was before these mountain tops. I am able and comfortable to live my
life the way I want to remember, and not be blindsided by society’s distractions.
This would not have been possible without the courageousness
of a particular Min Pin. His love for the outdoors has led me to peace and
understanding. We are all meant to live a life of adventure and exploration,
just having the bravery to reach out and grab this thrill is the hard part, due
to the stagnant lifestyle so many have come accustomed to living.
We will soon be finishing with the 48; this is something
that has been weighing heavy on my mind. What is next for us? I only hope that
we are able to embark on another journey together, where I am able to grow and
learn from the time spent with Cullen. To trail him as we travel through
another challenge many would think too great for him.
There is much more to this life than just living. We are not
doing ourselves and this world any good unless we find a friend of great value
and make memories that brighten the darkest of days. Trust in friendship and be
certain that the bond made will withstand even the harshest of hits. Go live
the life you dream of with the ones that mean the most, for that is a life well
lived…
A life worth remembering.
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