Date: 2014-07-13
From: Woodstock Inn, N Woodstock, NH

To: Thoreau Falls Stealth
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: scattered clouds

A year ago today, on a rainy Saturday around noon, I received a call from a good friend Melissa. I'm not much of a phone talker and most people know that so I receive a lot of texts. Even though she called me instead of texting, I didn't feel anything was off about it. For some odd reason though I felt the urge to call her back, which I rarely do. When she answered and told me why she was calling I became speechless. I had to repeat was she just told me because my brain couldn't comprehend. "Justin Snyder died this morning" She said in a cracking voice. Justin was a tremendous friend of mine and over the last 4-5 years probably the most important. Though he and I were probably opposite in personality we had a bunch in common. We were softball teammates, went to the same church, accountability partners, went on a church mission trip to Belize, became house mates for a couple years, and played golf a lot which he was very bad at. I mean just plain horrible. Not much into college sports we both loved baseball, hockey, and NFL. Never met a bigger Eagles fan. Fly Eagle Fly.Some people ask me if his passing was the reason I decided to take half a year and thru-hike the most difficult and popular long distance trail in the world. The answer is no, I was already planning on doing this at the time but had doubts. His passing made me stop making excuses not to live life. I'm not guaranteed tomorrow and for whatever reason God planted this journey in my head, I need to just go. Justin at 40 lived life more than most do in 80 years. It was his way on his terms not trying to impress or live for anyone else but God. Flawed and all. The good and bad. He knew life was short and he lived it that way. I mean whats 80 years on earth compared to eternity? A vapor of time. Why continue to do things you don't want to do then? Will you regret the things you do in life, or the the things you DON'T do? I can't even begin to tell you the places he has been and what he has done. It's inspiring. His life wasn't controlled by an alarm clock or a boss. I stopped making excuses, and to be honest there were some legitimate ones. I just made it happen and went out of faith.I couldn't wrap my brain around what Melissa told me that day, and honestly I still have a hard time doing that now. I still feel the urge to text him about something, but then have to pause and realize I can't. I don't feel sorry for him though. Im sitting on a rock right now overlooking Thoreau Falls in the remote wilderness of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. God's complete beauty. But Justin is in a better place, much more majestic than this. He's actually feeling sorry for me. He is tremendously missed not only by myself but so many others. Today I hiked. Up and down mountains. Lol. Actually it was quite hard today as the weather at first was hot and sticky, then turned to an all out deluge of 6 hours of rain. Mt. Lafayette and Garfield was veiwless due to the clouds. Everything on me was drenched and soaked from head to toe as even my rain jacket became useless. It did slow down for a bit and I found a spot next to Thoreau Falls to set up tent. The trick is to get the rain fly on as quick as possible to keep the inside dry. I managed, but it was a mess. Good thing I put my town clothes in a baggie where they can stay some what dry. SOTD, Somewhere Over the Rainbow.