THE MOUNTAINS CALL FOR A REASON
I believe the mountains call to awaken and reconnect us with our purpose. To remind us that "the world needs people who have come alive," as the author and philosopher Howard Thurman once said.
Dreamers know that we are here for a purpose. Dreamers see the value in seeking clarity regarding purpose. We want to be absolutely sure that we are on the right path- that we have intercepted the correct universal mission. But unfortunately, sometimes, this soul-seeking journey can send us into depression, analysis paralysis, and not to mention the everyday grind that is life. Things get cloudy. We get distracted, and our souls get a bit lost. This is when the Mountains Call.
There is something about being on the trail and walking forward that puts things into perspective. My brain gets rewired every time I set foot on a dirt path. I walk and climb until I get to the mountaintop, where I look out over the vast landscape and think to myself, "life is hard, but I am strong. I just have to keep moving and believe I will make it. . . I always do." I think about my past hikes and am constantly inspired to keep living the dream and gaining perspective.
Jennifer Pharr Davis also has some things to say about the "power and healing of physical forward motion" in her talk featured on National Geographic talk.
The Mountains may never call you to thru-hike, but they will call. So best have your boots ready.
FORTITUDE IS A FORGOTTEN VALUE THAT WE ALL NEED NOW.
Enduring pain and suffering is a part of trail-life. "Embrace the suck" is a famous saying on the Appalachian Trail (AT). You have to, because most of the time, it sucks. You are uncomfortable a good 90% of the time. Your muscles ache, and your feet are torn apart. The mosquitoes are relentless at times. You are downright dirty, and hiker-hunger will get the best of your emotions. The boredom of monotonous duties can and will mess with your psyche. You will want to quit. You will question why you started and what the point is. As the thru-hikers say, "No Pain, No Maine."
Joseph M Marshall III talks about fortitude in his book, The Lakota Way, as "quiet persistence." It's the "ability to take one step at a time and make the best possible use of your attributes."
Today, we are so conditioned to cushy, cozy lives. Being comfortable might just be our Achilles heel. It gets in the way of living our dreams. To live your dreams, you have to risk being comfortable. You have to be brave and overcome fears. You have to be patient. You have to stay connected to your purpose and your original intention. Above all, you have to endure with the strength of your heart and mind. You must possess fortitude. If you don't yet have enough, the journey will give it to you. So just believe and try to embrace the suck.
CLARITY OF PURPOSE BRINGS HAPPINESS
It's basic stuff in the backcountry. There is never any questioning of what needs to be done. Secure safe shelter, fire for warmth, get clean water, enjoy community. These are the priorities. Everything else falls into place after the basics. In the modern world, there are so many distractions. It's hard to stay focused and connected to what matters most. Our priorities are quickly thrown all out of whack.
Being connected to the elements has a mystical way of revealing how you should approach the more complicated layers of life. One can gaze into a campfire or stare into the stars and suddenly feel a sense of "everything makes sense". I know that I have a heightened sense of intuition when I'm in nature and feel much more confident about what I want out of life. Nature grounds you to the present moment, which seems to be where the magic happens. Gratitude, fulfillment, and clarity all reside in the present.
One of my life purposes became clear to me in 2014 when I was on my thru-hike. I wanted everyone to feel the peace that I felt among the trees. I wanted to inspire everyone to connect with nature and look deeper.
CONNECTION, RESPECT, AND DEEP REVERENCE FOR NATURE
When you are in the backcountry or the deep ocean, or anywhere else, there is no question that you are a part of nature. The water, the berries, the sunshine, and the animals are family. John Muir says it best:
"Wonderful how completely everything in wild nature fits into us, as if truly part and parent of us. The sun shines not on us but in us. The rivers flow not past but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing. The trees wave and the flowers bloom in our bodies as well as our souls, and every bird song, wind song, and; tremendous storm song of the rocks in the heart of the mountains is our song, our very own, and sings our love."
OUR TRUE HUMAN NATURE IS GOODNESS.
The community surrounding the Appalachian Trail should receive a gold medal in hospitality. There is a reason why people refer to the kind-hearted folk as Trail Angels. Moms and pops, veteran hikers and churches, aspiring trailblazers, and entire towns rally together to help hikers achieve their dreams. It's really that simple. We just want to help each other and see each other thrive.
I remember being in complete awe of the thru-hiker trail etiquette. Generally, whenever you meet another hiker, you stop and have a quick conversation with them. Exchanging questions like: "How is your day? What's up ahead? When did you start hiking? How far are you going? I remember daydreaming about what this would look like in the modern world. What if we made a point to stop and have a real, meaningful conversation with every person we come in contact with throughout our average day? What kind of world would that be? Well, I guess it would be a much slower pace of living. Maybe, some of us are doing that with our social media channels in some sort of evolved way. Anyway, the point is that the genuine level of care about another person's journey was high on the trail. The exchange was valued. It had a profound impact on my life. I may not be able to converse with everyone I meet each day, but I really hope that the conversations I have are full of care and meaning.
Watching my son, River, grow has only solidified that we are born so pure and innocent with a strong innate desire to do good.
NATURE AS THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR DREAMERS.
Like all relationships, a deep intimate connection with the natural world takes work. You must be open and patient, and willing to learn. If you put yourself in the student role and step outside- I promise nature will guide you to where you need to go. I've always been connected to nature. Growing up, my dad would often preach about passages in the Bible where it talks about the rocks crying out and the fields clapping. I felt a deep resonance with his sermons because it felt true. I would feel the tree's messages of strength and the flower's messages of comfort. I would hear the birds and watch as they dance us into a state of joy. Living on the AT affirmed for me that nature is my ultimate guide.
#god #lifelessons #appalachiantrail #nature #hiking #learning #living
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