Rebirth

The natural world has always played a major role in my life. I grew up alongside the technological supernova of the last few decades, and at first I fully embraced it. But even as I was doing my best to become one of the first computer geeks, I was focused on using my technical skills to interact with the natural world. My love of science has always been focused on the sciences of nature, less on the science of man-made. Nature has always been my safe place. It has always been where I retreated to when I needed to regroup; where I went to rejuvenate a weary soul. Most of my positive memories of life revolve around adventures in nature.

So it is no real surprise that the worst times in my life almost always happened when I was cut off from nature. Whether from poor choices of mine, or circumstances out of my control, or some combination of both, my darkest periods of life have always been when I become immersed in the technological world of man. The further from nature I get, the harder it seems to escape the prison of technology, and it does not help that technology constantly seduces with newer, better, faster … sadly at the EXPENSE of nature. It’s like a diabetic being locked in a room full of sugar.

Two years ago, my life was a sad combination of digital and despairing, as I watched my father disappear from life while wondering how he was really any different from me. Of course this immersion in technology was not ALL bad. Few things really are. It helped keep me somewhat part of the world, even if a mere shadow of who I COULD be. A year ago, I started to slow climb out of my digital dungeon, which mostly involved pursuing this crazy idea of doing the WHOLE Appalachian Trail with a friend, despite having slipped far from being physically fit, and also completely out of touch with the natural world. It was kind of like a journey of rebirth, my new self took shape in a womb disguised as a blog.

Today marks another milestone as the season of rebirth begins once again, for this is the 100th post on this blog. In its own way, another fresh start, as the numbers are sort of reset. I long to finally be removed from my technology cage, (which ironically requires the use of some of that technology). And in a mere 4 days, I will walk through the cage door. It seems that maybe I am starting to regain my resonance with the natural world, because yesterday my cable box failed, and today I basically hosed my computer, and found out that the nifty keyboard I got, that portion of the technology I AM allowing along, does not actually work properly. If there were a way to quickly and easily share my adventures without the gadgets and gizmos, I would be all over it. But as soulless as technology can often be, it still has its uses.

Ultimately what I am saying here is I really can’t wait for this adventure to start, and whatever it holds, I know in my heart that I will quickly be a new and improved man! I guess I felt the need to be sure everyone truly got a sense of at least PART of what I am hoping to achieve on this journey. I had originally planned on this post going an entirely different way, but the universe decided to play with me (remind me of a few things?), so I figured I should be the good boy and start listening now!

Enough of my waxing philosophic! I will be back again Monday as the journey REALLY begins … even if the misfit keyboard makes blogging more of a challenge!