We did it, again, because the stairs were growing larger and more impossible the farther away from the first time we climbed them. And we wanted to prove to ourselves we could do it. We counted 285 Mount Tabor steps from the SE 69th street entrance; the ExplorePDX website where I found these pictures says 280, plus a couple of half or partial steps.
How is this related to writing or creativity? By creating breathing space (literally and figuratively), by making the seemingly impossible possible, by having a feeling of accomplishment, for giving the body a counterbalance to the more sedate nature of writing ... by getting out in the world! Bits of nature to detail into a story. Overheard conversations to incorporate into a character. Re-acquainting myself with the moment when the "I don't want to and no way can I..." becomes "this is so cool, look at us...".
And it just plain felt good and was a total sensory experience.
Breathing.
Breathing.
