I’ve just returned from a week of walking the Southwest Coastal Path. Those who faithfully read the blogs will already know this.

I’ve learned some valuable things while on holiday. Here is a list.

1 My husband doesn’t like walking in the rain.

2 Waterproofs, even brand-new waterproofs guaranteed for three years, aren’t. Not at all. Not even in the slightest.

3 My husband really doesn’t like walking in the rain.

4 Walking poles are not just a fad: they are necessary (with a big thank you to my sister who lent me hers).

5 My husband really, really doesn’t like walking in the rain.

6 When the path is described as “moderate,” it really means severe – at least to someone who has previously only walked in flat East Anglia. Incredibly steep paths with giant steps that turn into waterfalls in heavy rain are quite definitely severe.

7 My husband absolutely hates walking in the rain.

Of course, those things are specific to a walking holiday in the rain, but they do show up something else.

I have written before of upset being caused by disappointed expectations. What was interesting for me was that I wasn’t upset by getting completely soaked, even through my new waterproofs. Yes, they’re going back with a strongly worded letter of complaint, but, at the time, getting wet was just one more challenge I quite enjoyed. My husband didn’t.

The incredibly steep ascents and descents were an unwelcome surprise but, again, a challenge I rose to. I didn’t enjoy some of the paths that cling to the side of high cliffs - I’m really not good with heights - but I felt proud of myself for managing them without freezing up.

My badly bruised toes were something I didn’t enjoy, but I was proud that I kept going, day after day.

Before this walk I would have said I was someone who didn’t like challenges, but this past week has shown me something new and I’m delighted with myself.

The other thing, even more important, was to recognise the selfless love my husband showed in keeping going through the wind and the rain when he absolutely hated it. He could have given up and insisted that we walk inland to a road and there order a taxi, but he didn’t; he persisted through the foul weather.

I made it sound worse than it was. We only had two days of appalling wind and rain; for the rest, there were only showers and even some sunshine. We had rainbows aplenty!

This holiday was only a minor challenge. There are really hard times for most of us in life, but we get through them and learn things about ourselves that we didn’t know before. Hopefully, we learn that we’re stronger and more resilient than we thought.

What hard times have you been through, and what did you learn?

Oh, and did I mention how much my husband hates walking in the rain?

Mary

A Moodscope member