OmPi's Adventures

Ten years ago shortly after college I began looking into hiking the Appalachian Trail. At a crossroads in life I desired to do something to help find myself and maybe figure out what I wanted from life. More so than anything I think I desired the trail because it was a time with nature, a prize to be had, a goal to be accomplished. As well, my A personality said, "Now is the time, before you have any additional obligation, things to hold you back, or prevent you from doing so. Now is the right time if ever there is one." My adventure never took off. My hiking partner decided not to join and I attempted a short weekend trip on the FL Trail only to discover less than a mile in that I was entirely uncomfortable with the silence I would be experiencing over 6 months and 2189 miles.

Fast forward 10 years and life has become a much more complicated. I've crossed into my 30's, have a relationship of 6 years, 4 little ones (dogs and cat), a job I love, and we have just bought a house. Nothing is wrong with my life, actually it is pretty amazing, even if it is somewhat mundane. The call of the trail has never left me over the last 10 years, but it has subsided slightly that is until last year when I had a brush with death and much of my life was called into question.

I questioned my friendships, my job, and my direction in life. I was broken down and in my weakness I found strength to begin to change the things that I found less than desirable. In the year to come I eliminated most of my toxic friendship, discovered how much I love my job, and began to change directions in my life. Here I am in the present still not entirely satisfied with life but in a better place than I was one year ago. My health and strength has returned, new friendships have started to be form, and a new path is beginning to be blazed ahead of me. Things are looking up but the soft quite call of the Trail is growing louder and louder and it is not going to be bypassed again.

During the end of May 2014 I was walking some small simple trails in the NC mountains with my partner and a friend. I expressed a thought of hiking the AT which was met with interest from my friend and discouragement from my partner. I can't say that I blame him with all that we have built together over the last 5 years, the obligations that we currently have, the time away and many other things, I can understand where this would seem like the most inopportune time to hike the AT. This is the warning that my A Personality told me 10 years ago that I should do the AT then before obligations piled up. But alas life takes its own path and lessons must be learned in the process. So I began researching, reading and dusting off my old information from years ago and found my inspiration stronger than ever.

So with this post I breath life into this journey much like the divine I manifest the first vibration of this adventure which burst forth from within. All posts until my last will be about the my perseverance and preservation of this adventure until I complete it and experience the transformation that it will no doubt have on me and the world around me.

-OmPi (ॐ π)