[at-l] Two gifts

[TOKTAADN@aol.com]

Okay, I will write something.  Consider them two gifts:

First:

My reflections on giving back and foot rubs to thruhikers at Trail Days.  I 
spent some time on Friday and Saturday -- not nearly enough -- at 
Pittsburgh's booth with a sign offering free foot and back rubs.  I'm happy 
to say that the experience was very rewarding for me.  The idea came after my 
limited experiments with foot and back rubs at last year's Trail Days and 
Gathering.  Then, my offers were primarily limited to hiker babe listers.  I 
felt it was time to expand to a broader audience (read not just broads! <vbg>)

It turns out that giving rubs is a positive energy task.  What I mean by that 
is the energy required to give a rub is more than replaced from the energy 
you get by relating in a positive way with another human being.  It did not 
matter whether the person was male or female, whether their feet were clean 
or dirty.  I received much more than I gave.

The ten or fifteen minutes I spent with each hiker was also wonderful because 
I got them to tell me all about their hiking experiences.  It is fascinating 
to see the unique way that each hiker and the Trail interrelate.  It was also 
wonderful to hear the ooohs and ahhhs as the rubs relieved sore muscles, 
ligaments and tendons. 

I gave each hiker a piece of advice that I will hope you will count as gift 
number 1 from this post: That each night after dinner they should offer foot 
rubs (and back rubs) to those they are sharing the shelters, hostels and 
campsites with.  That we as hikers get the idea in our heads that everybody 
will be better off getting a footrub every day -- and that no matter how 
tired we think we are, that giving a rub is a positive energy experience -- a 
hundredfold if we get one in return.  And I don't just mean our 
acquaintances, strangers should be included too.  This will definitely be a 
credo of my hike, but I hope we can popularize this concept sooner.  You 
southbounders have a chance to start this idea.  How about it?

Second:

Please read the book "tuesdays with Morrie."  This is a powerful book that 
every hiker who thinks about the mysteries of death and life and its meaning 
should read.  If you do read it, you will understand why it is a gift.

Happy trails,

Solar Bear

"The true profession of a man is to find his way to himself."  Still looking, 
but I'm not finding any blazes.  :)
* From the AT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================