Tom and I try to do some kind of hike every weekend. Rain, snow, heat, stomach flu, whatever, we try to get out there.
So technically, what is an actual “hike”? What’s the difference between hiking and walking? If we commit to “hiking” every weekend, what will “qualify”?
You can’t believe how often I have been asked this question. These were the same people who asked the teacher, “What’s the minimum length of the essay? Can it be double spaced? Do I have to use a pen? Are you taking off for spelling?”
Geez. Ok, sometimes it’s a walk around the neighborhood and sometimes we drive to a cool State Park and do a three hour strenuous trail hike. We’ve found that getting out of the routine, away from the kids (and the phone and the computer and the TV) is good for our relationship. We’re outside, looking around at what walks, crawls, flies, or grows. We see things together. We can talk, or not talk. We can walk quickly or slowly like a slug. We can relax and breathe and reconnect. So whatever your definition, make it happen. Plan on it and don’t be a baby. Some of our best times were in the worst conditions. Sometimes when life is at its busiest is when you need your time together the most. (And yes, take the kids with you once in a while…it’s really good for them. But make sure to save your best times for just the two of you.)
And some weekends you just embrace what life brings you. Like the time a walk through the LLBean Store was considered the “hike” for the weekend. (But we did park a long way from the store…) The key thing of course is that you are doing this together as a couple. It’s something that is getting you out of the house and out of the routine. It’s outdoors and uses energy and you have to wear shoes (unless you are at the beach). There, that’s the definition: Be together, outdoors, moving, with your shoes on.