Writers wanting a free ride

Ok, I won’t lie. This is an amazing idea. Amtrack is offering free residency for one of their long rides. It’s a program which on a rolling basis which accepts promising new writers! The form is quick and easy to fill out (yes I might be filling it out right now! ) so why not give it a try! Maybe you can be the next great traveling writer. 🙂

* Note, as in the comments, it’s been noted that what you submit can be (though may not be) used by Amtrak. I always suggest writing pieces specifically for contests. In short, don’t give a piece that you are supper attached to/don’t want them using. 🙂

Ice Climbing

“What are men compared to rocks and mountains?”

-Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Last weekend, I treked 10 hours up to Northern Michigan. The roads, snow-covered and icy, beckoned to my soul that’s trapped in the doldrums of working a nine to five job. My heart skipped a beat as my body didn’t yet completely stir, eyes fallen with sleep, hugged in with layer after layer of clothing to protect me from the negative degree weather until I was little more than a human marshmallow.

I went out an ice climbing virgin as the sun rose. As it set, I fell even more in love with nature.

two jackets, still cold

checking out the icefest

my climbing partner

warmer after climbing

the ice

climbing

climbing

the waterfall frozen

ICEFEST

the meadow filled with snow

Michigan’s lake frozen

I wish sometimes that I had started climbing for better reasons, that life after illness and a two-year, soul dragging relationship hadn’t left my world shaded gray. But after weeks of crying, I could take it no more and I found myself at my local rock-climbing gym, looking for something to take my mind of of things.  Climbing started out a distraction and nothing more, but over the year, I have found my reasons changed. I have found myself change.

I climb because it is there.

I climb because it is hard.

I climb because I am not good of it.

But mostly, I climb because I see God in the stars, moon, trees and running steams.

In the darkness, I found beauty.

If you are lost, there is something out there for you.

You just have to find it.