My Reasons Why – AT Thru Hike Edition

Time until hike: 85 days

«If we want to feel an undying passion for our work, if we want to feel like we are contributing to something bigger than ourselves, we all need to know our WHY.» ~Simon Sinek

«Everything on earth has a purpose, every disease a herb to cure it and every person a mission. This is the Indian theory of existence.» ~ Mourning Dove (Salish)

No matter what we try in life, knowing why we are doing something is essential. I learned this the hard way when I was in graduate school. I used to tell other grad students to “know your why” and use it when making decisions. The same applies in other areas of life, including hiking. Listing the reasons can help encourage us on the bad days, fill us with gratitude on the good days, and hold us accountable on the days in between. And having them written down somewhere gives us something tangible to return to. What follows is my personal list of reasons why I am hiking the Appalachian Trail.

However, I don’t want to dwell on my reasons. I also want to express some of the things I think I’ll miss along the way. I think being honest about those things is part of the mental preparation needed to go on a hike. I’ll probably touch on some of these reasons or things I’ll miss in future blog posts while I’m hiking. For now, let this be my first moment of transparency with you, dear reader.

The «why» behind the walk

1. I want to interact with God in new ways and learn more about Him.
2. I want to experience who I am outside of academia.
3. I want to readjust my relationship with the world around me.
4. I want to learn from other people who hike.
5. I want to try it because It’s difficult.
6. I want to know what a long walk is like.
7. To all the people who told me I could (thank you Sib Squad for doing this before anyone else)
8. For all the people who told me I shouldn’t do it (proving people wrong can be motivation too, right?)
9. For all the people I hope to impact and who will impact me.
10. For the child inside me that I’ve denied for too long

Things I will miss along the way

1. Birthdays of several family members and friends (sorry and happy early birthday to each of you)
2. Conferences I usually attend (I’ll be back in 2027!)
3. family vacation
4. Playing D&D and GMing (shoot well while I’m gone, everyone)
5. Go to church/be part of a church community
6. Weekly virtual meetings with friends and colleagues
7. New seasons of shows and new movies (Survivor, The Devil Wears Prada 2, Toy Story 5….to name a few)
8. THE WORLD CUP (I’ll definitely go into town to watch some games)
9. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day (Mom and Dad, I promise I’ll try to call)
10. Driving cross-country to visit friends (walking cross-country with new friends counts, right?)

Your task

I didn’t think I’d give you homework, did I? I promise it’s just a small favor. Whoever is reading this, if you follow me, please feel free to hold me accountable for the reasons I have listed above. Remind me of them when I write about particularly difficult times, especially if I ever express that I want to quit smoking. Ask me about them if you ever feel like I’m going off track or if you want more information. I know what I’m asking is a little selfish, but I thank you in advance for doing it.

And so we continue the adventure….

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