Grounded in Gratitude

“Take my hand.
We will walk.
We will only walk.
We will enjoy our walk without thinking of arriving anywhere.”

-Thich Nhat Hanh

I leave for the Appalachian trail in three days.

Three days!

I can’t believe it is finally time to leave. Leading up to this moment have been hundreds of smaller moments that have shaped this trip in different ways. There were plenty of late nights reading over guidebooks, maps, and blog posts about the trail while I planned my own route. Early mornings, with coffee and AWOL’s guide, as I mapped out the first few weeks, and then months, of the journey. In reality, this trip has been bubbling under the surface for what feels like my entire life.

And now it’s here.

 

“Your life is about to change…”

While I was out with friends this weekend, getting together with folks one last time before heading out, a buddy of mine said this to me while talking about life on trail. I think he was referring to the fact that in less than a week I’d be hiking every day for 10-12 hours, up and down mountains, for six months. But the more I thought about it, the more it came across as advice on how to approach the trail. Suddenly it became clear, there was one big change I’d want to make to get the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

For the last year and a half, I lived in future tense. Everything was around the corner, coming up soon, or was further down the road. Now that my planning has come to an end it is time to change focus. The plan is becoming action and the future is becoming the present. It is time to set my mind firmly in the moment, the present, which is something I struggle with as a classic over-thinker. On paper it seems like you have a lot of time on trail, I mean, it’s six months! But that will come and go in the blink of an eye. To paraphrase a classic, life on the Appalachian trail moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Grounded in Gratitude

Allow yourself to be amazed. This is the advice I am giving to my future self. It is so easy to be cynical and closed off to experiences as we get older. I have mentioned in previous posts, and this one, that I struggle with living in the moment. I tend to give the past and the future too much space in my mind. Instead of being present, I constantly think of what I need to do or what should be done. This mindset accelerates time to full speed as it plows right through present moments leaving them in the past, often missed or half-experienced.

While on the trail I will ground myself in gratitude, and the daily experiences, that make up the larger journey. The best advice I have received from friends and family alike about the trip is to slow down, experience it for everything it is, and don’t miss the moments. The best way to do this is to find something, really anything, to be grateful for each day. A hot cup of coffee on a freezing morning. The view after a hard climb. A bit of trail magic and the warmth of friends at the end of the day. Starting each day with this mindset will allow me to see the smaller things in more detail, enjoy even the difficult moments, and see everything with amazement.

Taking a moment to say thank you

Gratitude is shaped by gratefulness, and humility, in recognition of those that are helping to get me to the starting line. Even though I’ll be the one walking the trail it is an endeavor that is not done alone.

There is no way to possibly say thank you enough to everyone that has played a part in getting me to Springer Mountain in 3 days. I hope that everyone knows that I appreciate every piece of advice, every phone call, text message, or conversation. I am grateful for every person who asked me about the trip, my plans, and all of the hundreds of what-if scenarios that folks played out with me over beers or coffee. Thank you, to everyone who supported me whenever I was down on myself or doubted that this day would ever get here. Honestly, there were plenty of days when I felt like time was standing still.  Thank you, so very much, to everyone that has been a part of this journey along the way. I hope you know that I’ll carry that love and support with me every step of the way to Katahdin.

This past weekend I was able to get most of my family and friends together at a local brewery to see me off before the big day arrives. My incredible wife, Amy, planned everything out so that folks could come in and say goodbye. Having everyone there, talking about the trip, really made it sink in. This isn’t like normal backpacking trips where I go away for a weekend or a week… two weeks max. This is six months of being away. I found myself trying to hold on to each moment spent with everyone that came out. Many times during the afternoon I paused to look around, reminded of how grateful I am, to have this strength of love and support as the foundation for my journey.

Thank you, everyone. It meant more than I can possibly put into words.

Into the forest, I go…

I leave for the Appalachian trail in three days, and I couldn’t be more excited, nervous, and ready for the adventure of a lifetime. To quote John Muir, “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”

See you on Springer.