Crunch.

The sound of the rocky trail under my boots gives me energy. A purpose.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

With every step, every climb, every hike, I step further away from depression.

I struggled with it, on and off.

"How are you?" Everyone asks.

"I'm okay," I fake a smile.

Sometimes, I battled with depression, but no one notices. Social media shows the filtered moments of my life. I take a selfie on the tough days. I choose the appropriate filter to hide the sadness. It's like dressing up for church on Sunday, while inside you're a tangled mess. Sweeping the dirt and crumbs under the rug, until you have time to deal with the real problem. I was the main actress in the film "Nothing Is Wrong".

1 Like.
5 Likes.
30 likes.
50 likes.
100 likes.

The superficial comfort of online friends couldn't calm the tornado of emotions in my mind.

But then I met you: hiking. It was like my world became still. For once.

A walk in nature became my antidepressant.

The solitude of the trail was my therapy.

A healing process.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. I keep on going.

As I set off on each hike, I reflect on how I got there. How much extra baggage did I bring along the trail? What would it take to change the direction of my life? Was I ready?

The path became my antidote.

Depression could not follow me where I was going.

Slowly, I stopped trying to control the mess on the map.

The uncertainty would be my compass, pointing me in the right direction.

For every step was a new beginning. Every turn was a new opportunity. Every wound was a new learning lesson. Every shortness of breath added room for positivity. Every sore muscle proved I was only getting stronger.