Hot Springs in Los Padres National Forest

The Hot Springs in Montecito were worth every step, even if the locals acted like they weren’t expecting us. Trying things I never thought I’d try means a lot to me. I was the little Black girl who hated getting dirty and avoided anything that might leave a scar, so never in a million years did I imagine I’d become a hiker. Somewhere between hill and dale, slippery rocks, and getting completely turned around, I realized the same courage that carried my family through the Great Migration was carrying me up this mountain. I wasn’t giving up. When I finally slipped into the warm, sulfur-scented water, I stopped searching for meaning and purpose for just a moment. Black girl magic isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s simply choosing to keep going, soaking in the moment, and telling yourself, “Girl…just live and shut up.” Stop examining everything and love your life.