I watched every match. My wife scheduled a work trip. Somewhere between Argentina’s resilience, Scotland’s bagpipes, and Brazilian fans joining a Viking Row, the World Cup started to look a lot like nature: beautiful, messy, competitive, and deeply connected.

I never liked Valentine’s Day. Too commercial. But I found a gift that doesn’t wilt: adventure. A personal story about backpacking, arguing in the wild, learning to share the load, and finding connection again, one trail at a time.