My body aches from the constant uphill travel as cold rain drizzles onto my skin, “Are we almost up this hill yet?” I complain as my father turns to me, smiling as he observes the sheer beauty of the North Cascade Mountains, “Not yet, but if only you truly took in this scenery Cierra, it’s breathtaking.”  I glance down at my black boots, coated in crusted mud and let out a puff of air, mumbling to myself.  My eyes begin to wander, peeling through the crystal clear lake that slices through the earth like a piece of glass and gazing up to see the luscious green covered mountains. I listen closely to hear the sound of babbling brooks echoing off the rocks, and birds singing in the distance.  We continued on our journey, hiking through the immense terrain. The back of my dad’s hair flying in the wind like the eagles soaring above us. I had never seen my dad this happy, his face filled with curiosity like a little kid on Christmas, waiting for his presents. Our feet make imprints in the soil, leaving our mark in this world as nature lovers, appreciating the sense of wonder and beauty that spills from this land. As we venture deeper into the mountains, My family begins to look back on our decision to come here. though it may have been rushed and last minute, our lives had been touched by this experience.  Our hearts are full of joy as we leave those beautiful mountains that day, we didn’t know it then but we would be reflecting back on that experience for the rest of our lives. Remembering the good days, like a still photo in the picture book of our minds.