I did a thing! I just completed a 288-mile hike on the Benton MacKaye Trail! My journey on the BMT has been a full and magical lifetime, in and of itself. A lifetime filled with wonder, joy, and a daily routine that feels like the essence of life itself. Not a mundane routine, but one of simplicity, complete with activities that create deep peace and inspire gratitude.
The morning chores of breaking camp, filtering water for the day’s journey, cooking breakfast, and the much anticipated first sips of hot coffee or tea, are accomplished without much thought. Enjoying the day’s first light with some stretches and a camp mug full of something hot and yummy to drink can be a most joyous occasion. At the end of the day, finding the ideal campsite to make a comfortable home for the night, throwing the bear bag line over that perfectly situated branch, and collecting water at the spring or stream, brings contentment to weary bones. And settling down in a warm sleeping bag each night, after journaling about the day’s wild adventures, is a practice that keeps me grounded and centered. (As well as my copious memories alive, forever!)
Each day I looked so forward to my walk, mostly over terrain I know intimately, and some days were filled with long-forgotten twists and turns. Some days, I was gifted with the call of a hawk, owl, or pileated woodpeckers, colorful late-season wildflowers, adolescent black bears running from the sound of my footsteps, or nighttime encounters with howling coyotes. Every moment was a genuine blessing.
For a few sections, I was honored to have friends alongside me. Mostly, I walk alone. I walked along rivers, creeks, ridgelines, roads, and mountaintops. And all of the places where one can find what has long been known as the Enchanted Forest and where real Magic can truly be found, especially in solitude.
Because of the way I broke up the trail into sections, resupplying myself, with a few days off here and there (mostly to wait out hurricanes, oddly enough), flip-flopping to the end when I thought winter was coming early, and then heading back south, I concluded my walk somewhere just south of the middle, in a closed campground, feeling somewhat anticlimactic. It doesn’t really matter, although closure has been far from within my grasp.
I find myself back at my desk writing this, after living in the woods for what seems like an eternity, and missing those woods with every cell in my body. Being witness to the magic of nature, and even better, feeling a part of it, is something found nowhere else. I can find no better way to effortlessly remain present than walking in nature. And feeling deeply connected to the nurturing of Mother Earth is laying your head in her lap every night and awakening in her arms every morning. For this, I am eternally grateful!
Namaste….
Oh, and a special announcement…
I am honored and thrilled to share the necessary skills and knowledge to feel wholly safe, prepared, and confident in the woods, in one-on-one and small, intimate group programs. Learning practical skills and quieting the mind to the rhythm of the Earth teaches us all we need to know to find our way.
I am excited to announce that 2021 Spring dates will be released soon. Small groups (1-4) mean very limited spaces. So, stay tuned!
