Life is a Hike
Life is like a Hike
If you know me then you know that I love nature, traveling, camping, and definitely hiking and backpacking. I’ve been very blessed with the opportunity to do this all over the country over the past few years and the lessons I’ve learned along the way have been paramount. Each one of these experiences has taught me things about myself and about life in a way that I wouldn’t have otherwise understood.
I’ve learned that hiking is very similar to life, so I wanted to point out just a couple of those similarities to you. Although, writing this has proven to me more difficult than I imagined; as I could quite literally write a book on the subject.
Before setting off for any hike, you’ve got to first take an honest hard look at who you are; physically, mentally, and emotionally. Like life, knowing who you are and what your own personal limitations are helps you to know what trail to take. This doesn’t mean we limit ourselves in anyway or throw away our dreams of a 3,000 mile through hike. This just reveals to us where we need to begin.
When you set out for a hike, there is usually some sort of goal in mind. This maybe to reach the summit of a mountain, a highlighted feature, finding peace and tranquillity or possibly just the satisfaction of making it back to the car. Whatever the goal in mind, there is often many different paths along the way; each with their own set of challenges or levels of difficulty. So, while not every path you take will lead you to the final summit, each path comes with its own special reward which in turn prepares you for your next hike.
In 2020, Casey and I drove to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to backpack in the Porcupine Mountains. What was supposed to be a 4 mile hike in for the first night ended up really being an 8 mile hike. So what we anticipated to be an afternoon hike soon ended up being a night hike in terrain that we weren’t familiar with nor could be seen at night. On top of that, I was also carrying almost double the recommended weight for my size, which pushed me beyond my limit, and trust me and I paid for it the next day. However; I don’t regret one moment of that adventure as I have used the wisdom gained from that experience on every hike I’ve taken thereafter. The lessons were hard but the rewards were greater than I ever imagined they would be.
So you see, life is like a hike. There are many paths that can be taken. Some you’ll walk alone, while others you’ll have someone right along side of you. Some you’ll carry loads that seem more than you can bear, but if you just keep placing one foot in front of the other you will make it to your destination and reap the rewards of your struggle. And when you embark on your next hike you’ll be stronger and wiser and more prepared than the one before.