Changes

Last time I flew across the country, I overheard a lady on the airplane complaining because it takes 10 WHOLE HOURS to fly from Seattle, WA to Memphis, TN (a distance of 2,220 miles, given a stop at Chicago-O’Hare). Surrounded by people who think that 2,000 miles in 10 hours is ridiculously long, why would anyone choose to walk across the country on the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail? More to the point, why do I feel pulled to join them when I read trail journals?

I can’t really describe all that has happened within me over the past few weeks, so I’m not going to try. I think this may be one of those things that takes months–years even–before it digests enough to turn into words. As I read those trail journals posted on the internet, shared with the world, I can’t say with any certainty what drives a hiker. I can say with certainty that one day I will join them.

I don’t know what day I will start my AT thru-hike, or how old I will be when I set foot on PCT, but I feel them calling me.

As I contemplate viewing the country at 2 miles per hour, I wonder what I have missed in life by always moving too fast. When I consider living for months with only 30-40 pounds of gear for life, I find myself disgusted with all the “necessary” stuff that fills my house.

I think it’s time for a change

Tags: personal reflections

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 3rd, 2007 at 6:47 pm and is filed under Simple Living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.