In our non-stop, crazy, insane world, do you ever feel the void envelop its arms so tight that it's hard to breathe? Operating on reserves, struggling to catch a breath for the next step to take.

When Jill and John went backpacking in the remote wilderness area, the weekend outlook was blue skies  and perfect temperatures.

When Jill and John approached the trailhead, they were ready to start their journey deep into the lush forest without any cell phone reception. Craving the peace and quiet far from the alerts and notifications that ping their phones constantly.

Their giddiness and smiles went flat when they noticed the trail was muddy. Despite driving 3 hours, they never saw a drop of rain or even thunderstorm clouds. John and Jill looked at each other. Well, this will be an adventure.

As they started hiking, their mud dried out. As they crossed over a ridge, dark, verdant green clouds fast approached. Hiking as fast as they could, they proceeded down the ridge into the trees. They were hit with small hail, sideways rain, and whipping 50mph winds. They didn’t even have the time to throw on their rain gear. Now soaked to the core with temperatures dropping, they continued to move until they could find an area to set up shelter.

Suddenly, Jill took a step. Time slowed to a snail's pace. As her foot hit the muddied water, her ankle went into the mud, then her knees. Suddenly, she found herself thigh-deep in a mud pool. The sucking sounds engulfed her and she couldn’t get out.

Her breath constricted. She panicked. Every move she sank more.

In seconds, Jill remembered that breath, love, and trust guided her through everything.

John, carefully watching Jill, yet on solid ground, reached his hand over to hers. Their wrists locked around each other. Jill took a deep breath and scampered her way as John pulled her forward.

With deep, heavy breathing, they moved swiftly to find shelter under a canopy of tree branches.

In the dark space where our world closes in, we confront our deepest truths. Our buried emotions deep beneath the surface rise and collide with light. The illumination reveals what’s most important to us.

When we avoid confronting our pain, the universe keeps forcing us to look at it. If we continue to ignore it, the light gets stronger. Coming face-to-face with what really troubles us is how we heal and move forward with ease despite uncertainty.

Our deepest values always guide the way.

© 2025. Lora Lapiz. All Rights Reserved.