My 61-year-old body is different from my 35-year-old body. I never used to feel wobbly with heights, but I am now (despite the fact that I am getting my pilot’s license). Has my inner ear changed? My vision? Well, whatever it is, my new reality is such that a narrow path, a steep cliff to one side, and rumbly scree everywhere put doubt right in front of me on this day. Doubt is clever. Doubt can be convincing.

I was born with clubfoot, a condition that causes the foot to be turned inward and twisted. It is a common birth defect, affecting about 1 in 1,000 babies. I learned to walk with two casts on and a bar between the casts. I don’t remember any of it, but somehow, I think this experience may have pointed me towards my love and gratitude for walking.