He Smiled for the View. I Watched for His Reaction.
I took my friend hiking for the first time. He said yes because he trusted me, not because he wanted to climb a mountain. We reached the overlook in Colorado Springs, and I waited for that cliché moment—someone seeing the world from above, feeling changed.
He just stood there, silent, eyes squinting at the horizon. I wanted him to say something profound, or at least pretend he was moved. Instead, he just nodded, like he was checking off a box.
Maybe not every view is life-changing. Maybe sometimes you just walk back down the trail, legs sore, wondering if you’re the only one who felt anything at all.
#Travel #TravelExpectations #FirstTimeHiking
