I hike Old Rag and sit for at least an hour on a rock ledge with low hiker traffic. I don't write. I don't read. I just sit and stare at the mountains and the s

I hike Old Rag and sit for at least an hour on a rock ledge with low hiker traffic. I don't write. I don't read. I just sit and stare at the mountains and the sky. I might watch a bird or two. I might see an occasional hiker. My mind might wander to anything from the mountain's name (Old Rag is short for Old Raggedy, because of the rough terrain and serrated skyline) to Stonewall using these mountains tactically, to the Appalachians acting as a firebreak in a hypothetical zombie apocalypse (like in the Remaining series). But I don't consciously focus on anything or do any work. I just let my mind do whatever it needs to do. It's probably as close to meditation as I get. Then I complete the hike. The endorphins help, too. After a day of rest, I'm a whole new person.