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[at-l] Re: ATML Philosophical
Brent ..
> Do you think thru-hiking is in an inherently selfish pursuit?
Interesting thought, and certainly the million dollar question most
thru-hikers spend much time pondering over. I've developed this great
scientific system for myself whenever I'm at a crossroad and don't know
which path to take. I take a piece of paper, draw a verticle line down
the middle, and write down what I have to gain on one side and
everything I have to lose, or the potential price I have to pay, on the
other side. Obviously, the impact your choice has on people you love and
your responsibilities have to be part of the equation. Slowly but
surely, as I start tweeking the list, the choice which makes the most
sense for me comes into focus. Most choices we make come with some
price attached to it, but certainly the price shouldn't be higher than
the potential gain to you personally, be it emotional, financial, or
physical.
> for 5-6 months we completely disregard concerns of work, family, and SO or
> spouse and concentrate purely on the trail.
That, of course, depends on your circumstances. Will work give you a
leave of absence? Does your family need you? Does your SO support your
hike or will it give her a feeling of being abandoned? Certainly you
and she must have a meeting of the minds if you're planning a future
with her. What do you hope to gain from undertaking a thru-hike? If
doing a thru-hike has been your dream, you can be fairly certain that
you won't have the opportunity while you're raising a family, so I feel
pretty comfortable in telling you it's either now or after your family
obligations are behind you.
> I guess I'm asking because in my situation I've reached a point where I'm
> comfortably ensconced in a career, have a girlfriend I'm considering
> marrying in the next year or two, and looking for a house to buy. I feel
> like I missed my opportunity when I was younger and "unattached" and will
> now wait until perhaps retirement.
All I can say is "Playing it safe is the most dangerous game of them
all" ..
indeed everything has a price, but somehow missed opportunities have a
way of haunting us forever, however, undertaking a thru-hike and leaving
your SO and job behind may be as much of a missed opportunity as
postponing
your hike. Only you can make that decision.
> Perhaps I'm destined to be a section hiker after all.
Perhaps you are, and there's nothing wrong with that either! Just do it
for the right reasons so you have no regrets. There simply are no
guarantees in life!
Brigitte
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