Re: [at-l] Zen of the trail {Was: look at me stunts and Goose Creek,etc}

that's true.  i feel the "grass is greener" a lot, now that i'm one of the
few single people in my group of friends, and the one without a career or a
car or a house or anything more expensive than a microwave bought for 89
bucks in '92.

[here's an aside.  i just got an error message from my server saying
"maildrop unavailable."  that took me back to the trail...]

i don't think that anything we do (or don't do, for that matter) is really a
mistake.  i do however only regret the things i didn't do (that's only one
thing right now, as i'm still young and hopefully have quite a few more
years to take on new adventures).

i care little about people who thru-hike and that's it.  i care more about
peole who actively visit the woods.  there is so much to learn from sitting
quietly and listening, whether you do it for a day, a week or a year.  it
doesn't matter.  just go.  for the love of God.  Go!

belcher

----------
>From: Orange Bug <orangebug74@yahoo.com>
>To: Dawn Stringer <stringdm@yahoo.com>, at-list <at-l@backcountry.net>
>Subject: Re: [at-l] Zen of the trail {Was: look at me stunts and Goose
Creek,etc}
>Date: Sat, Dec 30, 2000, 9:12 PM
>

> Yes, every decision is a rationalization among desires and priorities.
> By making the decision to make a date and hike, you put yourself into a
> transition from pre-hike Dawn to belcher to post-hike Dawn. You have
> new bills, priorities, career plans, etc.
>
> The decision to hike is a selfish one. It is an experience that no one
> else in your life will be able to share, except in a peripheral
> fashion. You make choices to give up many responsibilities - including
> the job, pets, bills, and relationships. You do this with a vague
> notion of what will come from the experience and what you would feel if
> you missed the experience.
>
> Our life experiences are different. Each has areas of being richer and
> sadder. Each of us experiences that "grass is greener" feeling a few
> times a day. I wish I had walked the AT in 73 between college and med
> school - but I probably would have missed med school, marriage, and my
> current career. On the balance of things, the choice I've made is
> pretty good. My wife and girls often think I am insane or foolish for
> the hike. Yet I know the sections and hope of a thru make it possible
> to maintain my responsibilities to them, my patients, and myself.
> Certainly, I fear failure. I also embrace failure as it shows that I
> tried to do something that was difficult and adventurous.
>
> Hopefully, the priorities will maintain a balance, and my hike will be
> a success - whether it is 2167 miles or 2 miles. I suspect your
> priorities are also balancing, as you juggle the decisions over career,
> relationships, the trail, bills, and such. BTW, any gear in your yard
> sale?
>
> Bill....
>
> --- Dawn Stringer <stringdm@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> i have a feeling, and this may be an elitist feeling because i've
>> experienced the freedom of a thru-hike, but I have a feeling that
>> people
>> keep themselves tied down to these things because they are afraid to
>> let go.
>> maybe it's a fear of failure.  that's why people make excuses and
>> then give
>> them euphemisms like "priorities."
>
>
> __________________________________________________
[ *** too many quoted lines.  automatically truncated *** ]

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