נכתב על ידי מכר (freebird) מתקופת הPCT. אולי זה יתן משהו למישהו/י שרוצה להתוודע למסע ארוך ותוהה על דברים שמאחורי דברים.
Thru-hiking has been a big part of my life & I’d like to share a few lessons that I’ve learned.
(1) K.I.S.S. : Keep it simple stupid. Most of our lives are needlessly complicated. Simplicity opens up greater freedom.
The backpack itself provides a great metaphor for life: what we consider to be indispensable or luxurious is often a burden.
I’ve learned that I can live comfortably with very, very little.
(2) H.Y.O.H.: Hike Your Own Hike. This often quoted, but seldom practiced cliché of the hiking community is very practical.
The obvious & most direct meaning of HYOH is that we should refrain from judging or attempting to persuade other
hikers that our hiking style is better than theirs. It’s a common human tendency to believe that we are ‘right’ in
what we are doing, and therefore others who don’t conform to our notions must necessarily be wrong.
A prime example of this behavior is the ubiquitous ‘purist’ vs ‘non purists’ debate. Hikers often ridicule those that hike differently.
This self righteous judgment stems from insecurity. In the end, we are only responsible for ourselves.
(3) The ‘Fake World’: Many thru-hikers come to the conclusion that their life in the wilderness is much more real
than in the so-called ‘real world.’ Stripped of societal parameters, rules of etiquette, social hierarchy, etc. thru-hikers
are free to be themselves. What really matters becomes crystal clear: besides the rudimental necessity of
self preservation (food, shelter, clothing), living in harmony with our environment & caring for one another becomes paramount.
When viewed from a higher perspective - literally & figuratively - the so-called ‘real world’ is a chimerical charade.
The $-based rat race of consumerism, material accumulation, hierarchy/status, environmental pollution & degradation,
incessant ‘entertainment’ & communication, politics, etc. are appalling. It’s not surprising that many of us
become ‘serial thru-hikers’ or ‘repeat offenders’ in order to escape from this quagmire of insanity…
(4) Flexibility: Probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to become more flexible, more open-minded.
Plans are ridiculous on thru-hikes. They inevitably break down because there are too many factors that can
change the course of a hike in a moment: weather, injury, fires, floods, etc. My hiking style has evolved from
a fairly rigid mileage/destination/itinerary based walk into a ‘wing it’ style of unplanned adventure.
I typically never plan my destination for any given day (unless I’m out of food!) or worry about mileage.
This way I don’t have to ‘work’ towards a destination or mileage goal, but rather enjoy the day as it unfolds.
I’ve learned to listen carefully for the ‘still small voice’ of intuition to guide me on a daily basis.
When I’m able to completely ‘let go’ or surrender any goal or plan, I’ve found that the true ‘trail magic’
happens: beautiful serendipitous encounters with wildlife & people and unforgettable campsites that I’ve never even imagined.
I’ve learned to not be set on any single course of action: when there’s a proverbial fork in the road, to be willing to take either path.
Hippies would call this being in the ‘flow.’
(5) Spiritual Path: This is the primary impetus for my hikes - finding out who I am & how I fit into the bigger picture.
‘Finding ourselves’ is a work in progress for all of us. I’ve found it very helpful to spend time alone in order to contemplate
the deeper meaning of life. A thru-hike provides a wonderful opportunity for soul-searching.
The clarity & inspiration I’ve attained on hikes has been indispensable to my growth/progress as a person.
If you’re reading this & have dreamed of setting off on a thru-hike of your own, I encourage you to
‘throw caution into the wind’ and do so. When a thru-hike becomes your highest priority, you will set out on one.
Every single thru-hiker that I’ve met (thousands) has mentioned that their hike was either the most important
thing in their life or a major turning point. I guarantee that you’ll never be the same - for better or worse.
‘Worse’ only in the sense that you may have a hard time fitting in ('reentry') after the hike.
This is not necessarily such a bad thing after all...
Happy Trails
נערך ע"י משתמש שבת 01 נובמבר 2014 03:49:43(UTC)
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