​Glad Mountain


by Kendra Doss 

Kendra Doss, Hiking in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park 

ABOUT POET


Kendra is an explorer of the great outdoors. Her adventurous and fearless spirit is not only an inspiration to those who read her work, but also her friends who she loves spending time with. In her free time, Kendra loves to play board games, enjoy a home cooked meal, and build her small-group community. ​

I have cerebral palsy.

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For me, this means I walk a little crooked because my left leg is partially paralyzed. I’m prone to tripping, and when I’m tired I tend to stagger around like I’m drunk.

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I’ve never let my little pirate leg hold me back, but after 6 weeks on the road and 250 miles later hiking up mountains, standing on glaciers and running through deserts, I’ve had moments where I feel strong—physically on my game—and other days when I am reminded of my limitations as I tumble down a mountain after stumbling over a tree root because I was too exhausted to lift my feet.

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Sometimes I wonder how much farther I could go if I had two strong legs beneath me. But then I remind myself that I have exactly what I need – both physically and mentally to take myself where I want to go.

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And the mountain doesn’t care how long it took me to get here or how out of breath I am. And it doesn’t judge the janky stride that carried me to the summit. It’s just glad I’m here.

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And so am I.

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