I used to think winter was just something to survive. Then I tried hiking in it. Everything felt sharper—the cold, the silence, the way snow muffles your thoughts. I packed hot chocolate, mostly as a joke, but it tasted like relief halfway up the trail. He surprised me at the summit, something small but honest, and I realized I’d been waiting for a moment like this without knowing it. Crater Lakes was frozen over, empty except for us. I took a photo I never posted. It’s still on my phone, and sometimes I look at it when I forget what it’s like to feel surprised by joy. #Travel #WinterHiking #UnexpectedJoy