[at-l] Re: Why we hike

[Marn44 at aol.com (Marn44@aol.com)]

I always appreciate meeting a person who is passionate about something in their lives that they are experiencing for themselves. When you talk with them their love and excitement and enthusiasm comes bubbling over. They are eager at anytime to share with you their knowledge and experiences to try in some small way to "pull you into the fold". However...

Some people get carried away and get adamant about their way and their understanding. I have a very big problem with the "my way or the highway" guy( or gal)It does't matter what you've experienced... their way is the "true" way. Anything else just does not cut it.

AND THAT IS WHY I APPRECIATE BEING ON THE AT LISTS. I 've read alot of books and researched alot of the gear but am still a green novice when it comes to miles. I've "met" alot of you on the lists and even a few face to face( at SoRuck) and I appreciate the passion and enthusiam for hiking I have found. But at no time did I get the attitude of "to do it right it must be done this way , my way" The "hike your own hike" philosophy comes thru loud and clear. And I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.  The more experienced ones must see themselves as parents... Full of knowledge and experience and wanting to share that with the hope of saving the "children"  some of the hardships and difficulties you have experienced and also to encourage them to have some of the fun times you had. But any parent soon finds out that this is not always possible. Some children somehow always learn the lessons by making their own mistakes and finding their own way. This is ok as long as they learn the lessons but is not always the easiest road to take.
  Hike your own hike. I like this attitude. It surely frees a person from having any preconceived ideas of success. You yourself define this in your own way, in your own heart and mind. Of course you must keep yourself from judging yourself according to anyone elses ideas of success no matter how vocal or adamant they are about them. Some go so far as to think less of your experience and you as a person for not doing it "their way, the right way, the pure way". I say get a life and grow up!
      On one of the films a hiker said as long as a hiker respects the other hikers , the environment and the wildlife, (plant, animal ect.)then everything was ok with him. That's a great attitude.
   I leave April 3rd, 2005 for my Hike. I donot say thru hike, or section hike. I've come to realize that these terms in my mind limit the potential of my hike and also color the meaning of the "success" of my hike. My attitude has changed greatly in the year or so I have been planning for this time. And I have you all to thank for that. Your joy and passion and enthusiasm for hiking the AT and hiking in general has spilled over to me and encouraged me to "go for it". With no expectations. But I do have goals. The #1 being to just appreciate the time I have on the trail and realize what a wonderful gift it is... The trail itself  and the time I spend there. I want to glean every experience I can because I may never get the opportunity again to go this way.Most of the time it won't be easy but I will learn and appreciate the time well spent. The price others have paid to create the Trail and maintain the trail and the price I myself and my family will pay for me to be there is just too high for any minute to go to waste. 
Walk softly
Dancin free

(sorry so long)