I came across a nonfiction book this week that so moved me and I can’t believe I haven’t heard of this woman until now. I’m a sucker for all sorts of overcoming adversity stories, wilderness stories, changing your life stories, and “older people” doing cool things stories. The story about Grandma Gatewood is all of those things.

In 1955, “Grandma” Gatewood was an Ohio farmer’s widow, with 11 children and 25 grandchildren. She had an eighth-grade education and suffered horrific domestic violence at the hands of her husband until she managed to get a divorce, which was obviously rare in those days. Her upbringing was also tough, living with an ill and alcoholic father, sleeping four to a bed with her siblings, and working all day to help the family.

Her children were grown and out of the house, she worked a bit in a nursing home and helped take care of her grandchildren. She was 67 years old, blind without her glasses, with a mouthful of false teeth and bunions on her feet. But for a year she had been quietly going on longer and longer walks, starting with a walk around the block. Then one day she told her family that she was “going out for a walk.” She caught transportation to Georgia and hiked the Appalachian Trail, alone, in tennis shoes and with a small homemade duffle bag. She was the first woman to hike it through alone, making history and changing her life. She came back to do it two more times, the third time in her seventies.

She had also tried it once before, starting in Maine, and quickly got lost, broke her glasses and ran out of food. She had to be rescued while still in Maine. She told no one about her failed attempt because she felt humiliated. And she told no one when she set out for her next (successful) attempt because she knew everyone would try to talk her out of it. (The book is “Grandma Gatewood’s Walk” if you’re interested.)

As tempted as I am to draw a million lessons from the story, I’ll leave it here for you to contemplate and draw from it what you like. And I hope it inspires you as it did me this week.