International Writers Inspiring Change feature book: My Mountain Friend: Wandering & Pondering Mount Major
- IWIC Admin
- May 16
- 3 min read
I have hiked to the summit of Mount Major over a thousand times.
Many hikers check off different locations, but I traverse the same trail. How does my hiking experience differ from those who seek new trails?
When you hike an unfamiliar path, you have to find your way and are distracted by the newness of the trail. That is a wonderful outdoor experience filled with discoveries.
Once you know a trail, something more happens. You notice things on a deeper level. Your mind is free to contemplate. New synapses grow in your brain as you wander and ponder. The trail becomes an intimate friend, a place to go for inspiration and for solace. Mount Major was a safe place to sort out my childhood trauma, and to reconcile my father's estrangement.
Come along with me as I ponder life and learn about this wonderful mountain trail.
Reviews...
"A book that touched me in many ways. The expression of love, feelings and life was well written so much that I had to reread this beautiful book for a second time after my first reading to know more about Mary Ellen's experiences and how they gave her the reasons to write this book."
- Robert Callahan
"A great read! Amazing story of Mary’s courageous journey of self-discovery, personal growth, overcoming personal trauma and reconciliation to become a strong independent woman."
- Drew
"As a hiker, I am fully aware the amount of processing that happens in your brain while your feet meander upon trails. This book illustrates this perfectly."
- Kimbo
My Mountain Friend: Wandering & Pondering Mount Major, by Mary Ellen Humphrey, is a deeply immersive tell, where the author relates episodes and insights into her life, realizations and epiphanies experienced while hiking the trails of Mount Major. It's a rather unique narrative as the author blends pieces of her life, a very intimate look, along side her countless treks through this mountain, which she has trekked over 1000 times, opening up her deepest thoughts, emotions, and realizations during the course of her adventures up and down its slopes. The author provides many photographs, and uses an abundance of metaphors and analogies, comparing her life to that of the nature she experiences, and showing how the mountain has helped and inspired her to reconcile and find closure on some of the questions, mysteries and even trauma of her life. It is an easy read, filled with a philosophical and spiritual approach to viewing the power of nature and its depth of influence on life - providing one opens up to it and looks at the beauty of the world as seen through the author's eyes as she footprints her way along its trails.
Excited to announce my recent book, Plant People, is a Finalist in the 2026 American Legacy Awards.
With a masters in education, and a specialty to teach writing, I've worked for many years on my various books. Some are fiction, and some nonfiction. For me, as an author, I have to see the story, the completed book, in my mind's eye before I can actually sit down and compose it. Drafts are written and rewritten and reviewed and revised, until it feels done.
Stories are everywhere. I started writing when I first learned how to form letters and words. For the last fifteen years I've used the exercise of NANOWRIMO to experiment with new writing projects. Several of my books are the results of this effort.
In addition, my passion is helping others with their writing projects, and have sponsored student publishing workshops for middle and high schoolers to write, revise, edit, design the book content and cover, and produce an anthology. It inspires youngsters to love reading and writing, and all without pressure or criticism.
See more HERE
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