The Bear’s Trail: Seek Nourishment, Not Fuel Part 4

Nourishment isn’t one size fits all

Past the pond, our trail reaches a steep hill. Its path is disturbed with large stones and overgrown roots, oh boy. There’s a single post sitting at the beginning of the valley, a distance marker we’re not even halfway.

We could stop here. It’s been a beautiful walk; turning back now would be fine even. But what’s the view from the top of the hill? And where is the halfway mark?

What if this hill isn’t the hardest part?

Looking at the jagged stones sticking out of the dirt and the hazardous path forward, the trail is finally starting to feel real.

Nourishing yourself kinda feels like that hill, especially when you’re used to malnourishment, and sometimes the hardest step is the first one.

But this is the part of the trail where it gets fun; where we get to be a little loud, a little wild even. We will figure out a way up, a way that works for us, or for you individually. And when we reach the top, even if we stub our toes a few times, we’ll celebrate together!

The fuel of our lives is what gets us through the day. Whereas the nourishment of our lives is where feelings like happiness, bliss, comfort, and health live. It takes time to learn about yourself and your needs. The path isn’t generally an easy one either, but the rewards are inestimable. It’s a fact that an unhealthy body leads to an unhealthy mind; it’s true for humankind and for bears. Given the chance, a bear will travel hundreds of miles for fresh food each year and each year returns to its den.

Just like bears, our reality isn’t always that easy. We often face budgets, lack of knowledge or awareness, and even scarcity; which can lead to hard choices, sometimes even bad ones. But nourishment isn’t about perfection; it’s about navigating the rocky terrain and never giving up.