Saturday morning we embarked on our quest toward the jungle of a forest known as West Clear Creek. The climb was steep, our bags were heavy, our legs grew weak, but our demeanor never wavered. We set up camp by a creek with waters as clear as the sky above. We ate, laughed, swam, and shared stories both hilarious and personal. We wrote about important relationships in our life, why some were better than others, and what relationships need in order to bridge the gap between mediocre and excellent. We shared our writings until the night was upon us and fell asleep to the sound of crickets, laughter, and snoring.
Sunday morning we delved deeper into 15,328-acre creek. The Mogollon Rim surrounded us on both sides, extending upward as far as the eye could see, as we bushwhacked our way from one beautiful swimming hole to the next. All of us jumped off small cliffs. After we set up camp closer to the trailhead, we held a meeting on acceptance, its importance, and what it means to each of us personally. The trip was a great one and both our bags and minds were light as we hiked back up the mountain.