Today is about adventure.

I woke up at 5 am, and snuck out of the house while my husband, fur babies and neighborhood were sound asleep.

The moment I stepped out of my door, I felt the weight of the season. It was 5:30 am, pitch black, 80 degrees and about 75% humidity. That’s hot and sticky, even for the end of July in North Carolina.

I slept-walked across the street, passed my neighbor’s house, and hooked a right on the dark path to the golf course. I literally couldn’t see my feet, much less the path in front of my feet it was so dark. I stomped my feet to alert any snakes laying on the path. 

I walked through absolute blackness, the sound of each step absorbed by the heat and the sound of many cicadas and tree frogs overhead. I finally broke out of the darkness as I walked the hill up to the putting green ahead. Just as I did, my body was greeted with a strong, refreshing gust of wind. I closed my eyes, and felt the energy of my new life.

“It’s all here, and it’s all right now,” the trees whispered.

“Everything you need is all around you, you just need to think about your life in a different way.”

I sat with this insight, but mostly the feeling of it. Pure, unadulterated freedom and wilderness.

I drank in the solitude and space around me as I looked up to the night’s sky. The stars twinkled overhead like little pieces of silver against the dark velvety backdrop. I walked up onto the fairway and up to the perfectly trimmed putting green and laid down on my back to admire the view. 

I thanked my lucky stars, quite literally, that I live the sort of life where I can steal moments like these just for myself. I felt the wholeness and fullness of the moment, then stood up. I walked a bit further, ran a few paces, then decided I needed coffee in my face, stat. I made a huge breakfast and started to pack for the next adventure.

Stella’s birthday is tomorrow, and I had scheduled an early morning hike for us with one of my favorite humans, and Stella’s favorite dog, Chickadee.

Leash, check.

Dog bowl, check.

Water for all of us, check.

Cucumber water (because it’s hot as hell) check.

I shoved all the things into a backpack, and asked Stella if she was ready to go into the forest. The f word always gets an enormous smile out of her. The forest is her favorite place and mine.

In true fashion, the dogs went nuts as soon as the car doors opened. We hiked up to the lake, and watched the sun rise over the gently undulating water that laid before us. The girls went wild with excitement, running as fast as they could up and down the wide gravel trail, their shiny black coats glistening in the early morning sun that streamed sideways through the trees. 

We walked a bit further, and I asked Stella if she wanted to go to the beach. She bolted down the path to our left. She knows the way. We hiked up until we reached the enormous boulders that overlook the lake, then carefully made our way down to the water stepping in the tiny, misshapen spaces between the tree roots at our feet. 

Tiny ripples danced across the surface of the water. The dogs sped up excitedly, running, jumping and charging through the trees and around the rocks, like a couple of goats on way too much caffeine. 

They ran up and down a little stretch of sand at the water’s edge, and ran into the lake up to their bellies. We spun around as another dog appeared behind us, and immediately joined in the running, splashing and playing. No introductions needed. 

Our dogs were beyond thrilled, and ran up the hill behind their new friend. I hollered my recall command: “Stella May, you come here where I can see you.” Nothing happened.

My friend and I climbed up the hill, and back down the other side of the boulders. There was not one, but three other dogs. Now an impromptu party of five splashed around ecstatically, as we happened upon the dogs’ human. A woman in her sixties sweet-talked the dogs as she threw a stick into the lake. Her dogs raced each other into the water, and swam out to retrieve the stick.

Our dogs can’t swim, so they simply stood in the water looking on in amazement. They were clearly jealous, so we’ll definitely need to find a way to give them both canine swimming lessons. 

The lakeside play date lasted about five minutes, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog as tired and as happy as Stella was in that moment. 

Best. Birthday. Ever.

My beliefs have changed a lot as I’ve gotten older, but the one thing that’s always been true for me is this:

The first hour of your day sets the tone for the rest of your day, and for your life. If you want to have an adventurous life, do something adventurous first thing in the morning. If you want a relaxing life, do something relaxing first thing in the morning. The ripple is real.