05/30/2026
Maybe off the topic of fitness a bit. Maybe not.
This picture is so beautiful. I’ll treasure it, and it even made my stories as a highlight. But I want to add a little context—because life is more than highlights. I took the picture because I wanted to remember the beauty.
We were on a group hike earlier this day. This image stood out to me. As you can see, there is no group.
This sweet and spicy kid is usually my hiking buddy by the end of most hikes.
He takes off running at the start. Other kids race ahead with him, and I do my best to encourage him to slow down and save some energy. But he’s a kid, and he doesn’t always realize that his lower muscle tone means he’ll tire more quickly than his buddies.
“I can’t keep up, Mom”
There are friends who slow down and walk with us, but most of the time it’s just the two of us bringing up the rear or me carrying him.
It can feel lonely at times, but it’s also where some of the sweetest little conversations and most beautiful moments happen.
As I walked, I found myself hoping that I would grow in my ability to slow down and walk at the pace of others more often.
There may be (definitely) a bigger life lesson in that for me.
When I led hikes with Thrive Hudson, we had a simple rule: the slowest hiker led the group.
Why?
Because it’s discouraging to always be the one in the back and if I’m brutally honest, my desire to show up for things like this is pretty low despite the beauty, I wouldn’t want someone else to feel that way.
This summer, consider putting your slowest hiker—whether it’s a child, family member, or friend—in the front and walking their pace.
Sometimes the greatest gift we can give each other is simply slowing down enough to walk together in a life task or on a literal trail.
Shout out to my speedy hiking buddies who always slow down for me and
And a hugs to all my mama friends in the Down syndrome community. I’m grateful for these kids that remind us to slow down and notice.
“God’s time is slow, patient, and kind and welcomes friendship; it is a way of being in the fullness of time that is not determined by productivity, success, or linear movements toward personal goals.”
-John Swinton