Life and Long-Distance Hiking

Recently, as I was considering why I love to backpack so much, it occurred to me that my long-distance hiking trips have been an amazing platform for discovery. Through long-distance hiking, I have become a lover of the journey; a journey-ist. Not to say I have no interest in my destination, but I have come to realize that the destination is never what really brings me the greatest joy. The destination merely gives me the opportunity to experience joy along the way. The trail I choose to walk fills me with the joy I seek. The destination simply signals the beginning of another journey. And so it is for life.

Milestones in our life mark nothing more than the realization that another milestone lies ahead of us. Joy in life is created by how we choose to travel from one milestone to the next; from one destination to the next. This path or that one? Which path is filled with more joy for me?

That is always the question I ask when making choices in life. I believe in letting go of preconceived notions about the way life is supposed to be lived and embracing the joy that can be found in the unconventional. I believe that true connection to my joy can be forged only in the absence of a desire for accumulations. Action out of a desire to experience joy feels so much better than action out of a desire for things. I believe that simpler is better, that feeling good feels good, and that life is best when I align myself with the natural rhythm of the planet. Which path is filled with more joy for me?

If I were a destination-ist, the day to day tedium of walking every single day on a long-distance hike would be torture. In life, the parallel would be in living life every day hoping that as soon as I … graduate, find a great partner, make more money, get a promotion, then I will be joyous. What long-distance hiking has shown me time and time again is that there is fleeting joy in the destination.

When we can find our joy in the pleasure of the journey… to graduation day, to a great partner, to making more money or to getting that promotion, then we are living the life we deserve to live. Then we are living a life full of joy instead of a life of joyous moments. When we find joy in the journey, life flows from us and through us and everything is possible.

Hikeu Adventure Guides provides fully guided day hiking and backpacking trips throughout Vermont. Want to explore your journey-ist? A guided end-to-end trek of the Long Trail is being planned for September.