Jodi Hills

So this is who I am – a writer that paints, a painter that writes…

“I saw the world and found my heart. I opened my heart and became part of the world.”

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I had only been in France a few weeks when he said we should climb the mountain.  Sure, why not start with a mountain?!!!  Being from Minnesota, I did not have my mountain legs yet.  But nothing about this trip, this move, this life change, would have occurred if I had been stuck on “maybe,” so I said yes – of course I said yes!  In my head though, I had visions of a long stroll, with lovely views…almost a picnic for the senses really…  Reality unpacked it’s bags within the first few steps and I knew this was nothing like I had imagined.  My heart was pumping faster.  I could feel every rock beneath my Vans.  My lungs hit my ribs with every breath.  I had never climbed a mountain.  I had my doubts that I would finish this one.  The last big hill I had climbed was in the 3rd grade.  Pike’s Peak.  We had gone on a field trip from Washington Elementary.  I had a sack lunch – a peanut butter sandwich and a warm Orange Crush soda.  We raced down the steep hill just before lunch.  Dirt flying everywhere.  I remember that I made it back up.  It seemed straight up.  Dirt and gravel everywhere, making clouds as we raced – pumping arms and legs and grabbing that bit of grass just at the top edge and pulling ourselves up.  Muscle memory…that’s it – that’s what would save me.  I had heard of this – yes, muscle memory… soon now my legs would remember how I made it up that hill… my muscle memory would kick in and I would climb with ease.  Nothing.  My thighs remembered nothing.  I struggled with each step.  It would be beautiful he said, at the top.  For some reason I believed him and kept climbing.  My nose ran, my lungs were exploding, my thighs were pulsing and my feet – my poor Van covered feet…  At one point he said, “those berries are poisonous…”  My first thought was “give me a handful.”  I kept climbing.  I tried to think of a song to keep my body in motion.  Bruce Springsteen – yes, Bruce.  He could keep me moving.  “Tramps like us, baby we were born to run…”  I repeated it over and over in my head to drown out my own heart beat.  I followed him step for step.  I trusted him.  I had no muscle memory of that.  I loved him.  I had no muscle memory of that.  This was all new.   We reached the top.  Everything was quiet.  Everything was beautiful.  More than I had ever imagined.  He was right.  And I knew I could do this.  I could do anything.  I could love him.  I could heart pounding love him.  I could breathlessly love him.  I could love him mountain big…and I do.   Tomorrow it is his birthday.  I think about all the days in between.  Everything that had to happen on each of those days to bring us together, and I am truly amazed.  I am “standing on top of a mountain” amazed.  This love, in my every muscle, my entire being, is unforgettable.  
 
Happy Birthday Dominique!

Author: jodihills

I am an author and an artist, originally from the US, now living, loving and creating in the south of France. I show my fine art throught the US and Europe, and sell my books, art and images throughout the world. www.jodihills.com

One thought on ““I saw the world and found my heart. I opened my heart and became part of the world.”

  1. So beautiful, you are so lucky to have found each other and climbed that mountain together .

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