Beautiful BlossoM:001

My Dear Blossoms AND GRANDBLOSSOMS,

Let me tell you about an incredible young woman who reminds me just how limitless we can be when we set our minds to something. Her name is Tara Dower, and at just 31 years old, she accomplished something that most people would never even dream of attempting—she ran and hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, all 2,168 miles of it, in just 40 days, 18 hours, and five minutes. To give you some perspective, most people take five to seven months to hike that trail. Tara? She did it in a little over a month.

Photo Credit: Unknown. From Facebook aka Meta

Every single day, she pushed herself to cover an average of 54 miles. That’s more than two marathons a day, on a trail full of steep climbs, rocky paths, and wild terrain. And if that wasn’t enough, she started her days at 3:30 a.m., ran and hiked for 17 hours straight, took just a few short breaks to eat, and sometimes grabbed a quick 90-second nap on the ground before getting right back up to continue.

What’s even more amazing is that Tara didn’t do this just to break a record. She did it to raise money for a cause close to her heart: Girls on the Run, an organization that helps girls gain confidence and discover their potential through running. She raised over $47,000 while proving to herself, and to all of us, that we are capable of so much more than we think. Tara said, “It’s not about beating men, it’s about finding our true potential. And, you know, if you beat the men, that’s an extra bonus.”

When Tara reached the end of the trail, she was exhausted—imagine how tired she must have been! But she didn’t just collapse in defeat. No, she fell to her knees in victory, placing her hands on the bronze plaque at the trail’s end, a plaque that reads, “A footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness.” I picture her there, knowing deep in her heart that she’d done something extraordinary, not just for herself, but for every girl and woman out there who dares to dream big.

Now, what can we learn from Tara’s journey? It’s not just about breaking records or achieving the impossible. It’s about discovering your own strength, even when the path is rocky, steep, and full of challenges. Life will throw obstacles in your way, but if you stay determined, if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, you will achieve things that once seemed out of reach.

Tara’s story teaches us to dig deep, to keep going even when it feels impossible, and to do it not just for ourselves but to lift up others along the way. Just like her, you have a light inside of you that can brighten the world. All you need to do is trust in your own potential, and never be afraid to take on the tough trails in life.

You are stronger than you know. Keep pushing, keep believing, and keep blooming in the face of every challenge.

With all my love,
Granny