When I tell people I am planning to hike the Appalachian Trail, I generally get one of three replies:
- You’re crazy.
- Cool!
- That’s cool, but you’re crazy!
Each of these invariably followed by a “Why?” The answer to that why is not always the same, nor alway easy to produce. However, the simplest answer is because my friend, The Idiot, asked me too. Everything beyond that is me justifying my saying yes on that fateful day. But when Mark asked me, I did not even hesitate to say yes. This hike would not be happening if it were not for him, and as I have said before, as far as I am concerned he is going with me … even if only spiritually (or virtually). But I have rarely managed to answer the Why question as well as he did today on his recent CES blog post. For those who have not been following from the beginning, or don’t know Mark personally, CES, or Cauda Equina Syndrome, is both the reason he wanted to do the hike, and the reason he ultimately realized he could not … at least physically. But what he says in this post is really the ULTIMATE WHY. Even though the trials and tribulations I may have faced in life are different, the essence remains the same. This is why the hike, the blog, and all that followed started, and this is why it will be finished.
A quote from Mark on this post:
CES will do it’s best to convince you that you can no longer do any of the activities that you once loved, and will try to keep you from trying new activities.
Don’t let the CES win!
Get out and go climb that mountain while you can!
Replace CES with whatever keeps us from reaching our full potential, and this applies to us all. Somehow, today being Veteran’s Day in the US, this reminder seemed very appropriate. Veteran’s are the epitome of pushing against what life offers that we might not want. They have to face forces shouting “NO! DON’T” on a sometimes daily basis, yet persevere. This is the essence of bravery, and something truly to be honored. Thanks for the reminder Mark! And thanks for creating this path for me. And thanks to all of those who have done the same in the past, for everyone’s benefit.
