04/02/2026
Even when you are prepared, you’ll be challenged.
Our family Grand Canyon trip was something I trained for. Miles around Saint Joe with a weighted pack. Packing the right gear. Having the right support.
But early on, my body told me something wasn’t working. On day one, halfway through a 7.5-mile descent, my knee started to give out.
And suddenly, what I had prepared for… shifted toward pain, heat, dehydration, and frustration.
Somewhere in that, I caught myself wishing it away — focused on getting to the next stop instead of being in what was right in front of me. As I was hobbling down switchback after switchback in 105° heat, I found myself wanting the “adventure” to be over… with three more days still ahead.
Sound familiar?
Ever catch yourself so focused on where you’re going that you miss what’s right in front of you?
Those moments aren’t limited to big experiences like this. They show up in everyday life more than we realize — and they can quietly shape our attitude and our ability to see what’s actually around us.
When my husband and I finally made it to the bottom — a couple of hours behind our kids — I could see why pushing through had been worth it. But I also couldn’t stop wondering what I had missed along the way.
That question stayed with me.
What if pain isn’t just something to push through, but something asking us to pay attention?
What if listening earlier could change the experience entirely?
Because it’s easy to override those signals. To ignore them. To keep pushing. To stay focused on the end. To let them steal the experience from you.
I sat with that at the end of Day One. I slowed down, paid attention, and made a choice.
As things shifted — both in the terrain and in how I was responding — my body started to meet me differently.
Less resistance. More capacity. More presence. Even healing.
That’s what changed the rest of the experience. Not because it got easier, but because I was actually in it.
My knees did much better on the uphill climb out of the canyon. Being surrounded by that kind of beauty, and sharing it with my family — without cell service — was something I didn’t want to miss again. (The hiker’s rash still tried its best to pull my focus at times.)
But even with that, I was more present. Not just getting through it, but actually experiencing it.
I’m not beating myself up for Day One. I’m learning from it.
Because life isn’t about avoiding challenge. It’s about building the capacity to move through it, respond to it, and stay present inside of it.
Fully alive moments are everywhere — but we only experience them when we’re actually in our bodies.
Aside from the memories and the hundreds of photos, this is what I’m taking with me from this experience:
Pay attention sooner.
Use the tools you have.
Let your body guide you.
And don’t miss what’s right in front of you.
Enjoy some glimpses of our trip. Have a blessed Easter. 🤍
— Dr. Tara
