Date: 2012-12-09
To: A Wild Goose Chase
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: mist

A wild goose chase, that's what some might think when they hear I want to walk the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. I had not thought of it in those terms though until recently but I don't want to get ahead of myself.For many who plan this adventure, it is a dream of a lifetime but not for me. This past February for Valentine's Day we spent a couple of nights at Len Foote Hike Inn in Amicalola Falls State Park. After dinner, Wade Chandler, Assistant Manager of Len Foote Hike Inn, presented a slide show and talked about his thru-hike of the AT in 2008. It was the second time for me to hear his story and see pictures and I enjoyed the second time just as much as the first. At the conclusion he asked those present if there were any questions and so I asked if he had seen "any old codgers on the trail." All he said was "yes" with a little smile on his face ... not sure what the smile was about but I didn't follow up with any other questions.Prior to that hike to Len Foote, I had been planning for 2013 to Walk the Camino in Spain starting at the French border and traveling 500 miles across the northern edge of Spain to Santiago de Compostella. Some years ago I'd read a book by Joyce Rupp, Walk In A Relaxed Manner. It was the story of her journey along this ancient route with a friend. I'd read many of her previous books and enjoyed each one. I could always hear God speaking to me through her writing and this book has lots of turned down page corners (that's how I mark places I want to remember). God even gave me one of the desires of my heart and I attended a day retreat with Sister Joyce sponsored by a church in North Carolina. Sister Joyce lives in Kansas. From her books I knew she was a holy woman and it was a very special day. Have you ever met someone and just felt that by being in their presence you were very near to God? If so, that's the love and peace that radiates from her. As God would have it, my friend and I were staying at the same hotel as Sr. Joyce but we didn't know that. We just happened to take the elevator down with her to breakfast before the day retreat began; she asked us to join her. So we even got some personal time with her. She walked the Camino and wrote her book before there was the movie, The Way. I saw it at a local theater and then bought the DVD when it came out. If you missed the movie, the DVD is great.Wade mentioned the trailjournals.com website and I checked it out. In fact, I started to read the daily writings of many who were on their Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2012. I began to think that since I was not growing any younger, perhaps I should plan for the AT and delay the Camino until 2014. Originally I thought the Camino could be a warm up for the AT since I had no backpacking experience. Somehow, I don't remember how, after the hike to Len Foote in February, I stumbled on a website and a guided hike with fitpacking.com called the Appalachian Trail Primer. I figured that could be a good introduction and a gauge to see if I was cut out for backpacking. The 5 1/2 day trek at the end of October was quite a learning experience for me and whetted my appetite for more. If you've read this far, you may be thinking my writing is like a wild goose chase.At the beginning of November I read the Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God by Mark Batterson. I bought the Kindle version and while I didn't have pages to turn down, I highlighted and saved passages that really spoke to me. The book helped to confirm my thoughts that God was inviting me to take a pilgrimage along the Appalachian Trail. He was offering me the gift of a spiritual adventure. I expect that may sound strange to many people but I've been gifted with several pilgrimages in the past -- to Rome, Italy and Assisi with a group from the church in Darmstadt, Germany; to Medjugore in Herzegovina (formerly Yugoslavia) twice; and to the Holy Land. This pilgrimage on the Appalachian Trail will be the closest to home since I won't be leaving the United States but will be the longest journey. Mr. Batterson writes "We underestimate the interconnection between geography and spirituality. And part of the reason is that we worship God in man-made buildings that keep us insulated from the elements." He says that "When God wants us to experience a change in perspective, He often does it via a change in scenery."Living for the most part in the woods for 6 months will be a change from my home - that's for certain. I experience His presence in the quiet beauty of the woods and I know it will be easy to pray as I walk. I think God is also inviting me to attend mass along the journey as part of the pilgrimage. Throughout all of my life, mass on Saturday and/or Sunday and even daily mass when I wasn't working has drawn me closer to Him through His word, the gift of community, and the gift of the Eucharist. I've found Catholic churches along the Appalachian Trail and put notes in my guide book but I'm not sure how I will get off the trail and find them. The hitchhiking aspect is pretty frightening to me but I trust that if it is His will for me to attend mass, then He will make a way. Batterson writes it is "our moment-by-moment sensitivity to the Holy Spirit that turns life into an everyday adventure."Christopher Columbus credited the Holy Spirit with the idea to sail to the West Indies. He said "It was the Lord who put it into my mind, (I could feel His hand upon me), the fact that it would be possible." He said that all who heard of his project rejected it with laughter but the Holy Spirit comforted him through rays of marvelous inspiration from the Holy Scriptures. Scripture speaks and comforts me as well. I chose Proverbs 16:9 many months ago as my signature on trailjournals.com because it seemed a promise to me from God. God confirmed His word to me on Page 129 of Wild Goose Chase... "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." During this Advent season, Fr. John's homily last Sunday, Fr. Michael's homily today and the beautiful music from the 9 AM choir spoke words of confirmation to me as well.I'm excited and grateful and looking forward with joyful anticipation to beginning my pilgrimage on the Appalachian Trail. I'm also a little nervous but I thank God for giving me the faith to take the first step and the certainty that He walks with me. Thank you, Father; thank you, Jesus; thank you, Holy Spirit."Following a wild goose" (in the best sense of the phrase) has some affinities with the well known Celtic view of the Christian spiritual life as pilgrimage. Consider this hymn, attributed to Columba (521-597 AD):Alone with none but thee, my God,I journey on my way.What need I fear when thou art near,O King of night and day?More safe am I within thy handthan if a host should round me stand.My destined time is known to thee,and death will keep his hour;did warriors strong around me throng,they could not stay his power:no walls of stone can man defendwhen thou thy messenger dost send.My life I yield to thy decree,and bow to thy controlin peaceful calm, for from thine armno power can wrest my soul.Could earthly omens e'er appala man that heeds the heavenly call?The child of God can fear no ill,his chosen dread no foe;we leave our fate with thee, and waitthy bidding when to go.'Tis not from chance our comfort springs.thou art our trust, O King of kings.Pilgrimage was the Christian Celts' chosen metaphor to speak of the dynamics of the Christian journey, a risky venture in which one becomes totally dependent on God. (Ian Bradley, Colonies of Heaven). To that extent, pursing the wild goose is Celtish, if not actually derived from the Celts themselves.http://wildgoosedove.blogspot.com/2008/08/chasing-documentation_5440.html