"Purity," was [at-l] Best Blue Blazes

[janl2@mindspring.com (Jan Leitschuh)]

> I wonder if any listed "2000 Milers" on this list who did not pass all >the
> white blazes would care to share how and why they decided to tell the >ATC  that they hiked the Trail "pure"? 

I think Rick knows I am not singling him out (you know that, right RB?). In
fact, I'm not even really commenting directly on his thoughts. 

But something he said here sparked a little jumping off point for me:

I kind of get the willies every time I hear that word, "pure". 

After all, it's a concept, or a "mental construct" (my new favorite phrase,
I just so "get" it...). Pure is a man-made, in-the-head-thing, another way
of "measuring and assessing", something humans are all too good at. 

Some human decides "pure." No mountain, porcupine, outcrop or spring decides
"pure."

Now, putting one foot in front of the other and walking ALL THAT WAY, from
Georgia (another mental construct, those geographic boundaries) to Maine
(yikes! yet another), well, THERE'S a reality.

It seems important to distinguish between the mental and the real.
If I have to choose between the map or the territory, give me the territory
(reality) every time.

However, 
these constructs, paper tigers that they be, have great power over us.
Hence, the wish to be recognized after the fact, "legally" or not. 

I'm not saying I'm necessarily immune to that power either, but I'm starting
to see that it's ME who does the imbuing...

Alright, outta yer hair till Monday...


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    	Jan Leitschuh Sporthorses Ltd.

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