Date: 2006-04-29
To: Prep #18-What Are The Chances?
Miles today: 0.0

My MSR Hubba tent came in 2 days ago! I finally got a few minutes to run outside, yesterday, and put it up in the courtyard in front of my apartment. I see why people rave about this thing. It's got a ton of head room, and because I'm only 65" tall, I've got space by my feet inside, as well as space right outside the door under the rainfly for gear, etc. I put it up, threw my sleeping mat in it, and layed down. I started wondering what it would feel like out on the trail, what would it feel like in a thunderstorm or snowstorm. Would this little 3lb wonder keep me warm(er) and dry? I guess I should look at the directions now...just in case I missed something! Now to the point of the title of this post. I was out earlier this week breaking in my new trailrunners (did 8 miles, they were brand new, zero blisters or hot spots!). On my 8th mile, I was coming through probably the most peaceful/beautiful part of the trail. There's a wooden bench out there. Well, there was a man sitting out there. (I hardly ever see anyone on the trail during the week). I said hi to him and made a comment about this being the best spot in the world to be right now...the weather was perfect that day. Well...2 hours later, we both went our separate ways!!! Crazy. We got to talking, and David (his name) used to live in the area several years ago and loved coming out there. This was his first time out there in 8 years. Our conversation revolved around the controversial question of,"What makes a happy life?" I told him about my motto (that's been my motto since a little kid)...The Most Important Things About Life Are Not Things. He loved it, and he is a 44 year old pizza delivery person who did not want children and he shared how he was always having to "defend" himself to people because he didn't want the same things in life. I could totally relate and explained about my hike on the AT next year, explained how I take a lot of risks in life, but each time the benefits are amazing. I pointed out that it is our culture that tells us we are "freaks" and that something is "wrong with us," but what the truth of it is, is that some of us just aren't born into that Tribe were our happiness comes from a 9-5 job, 2.5 kids, big house, and minivan. I told him I also don't think that a vast majority who are part of that Tribe are really happy either....they try to tell themselves they are because they've been told that is what is supposed to make them happy.It comes down to this. You must choose which battle to fight. Do you join the crowd and fight an inner battle with yourself and the person you feel you are, for the rest of your life, risking feel regret and bitterness because you are not getting what you want out of life? Or do you follow your heart and soul, and fight all of the "normal" people by having to constantly deal with questions like, "When are you going to grow up and get a real job?" "When are you going to settle down?" "When are you going to use those college degrees?" "Why are you always moving around?" I have chosen the latter. My soul is restless, I have this unexplainable drive to explore the world around me, learn about and do things most people only dream of doing. David was out there that day, because he thought there was no better way to spend a day off from delivering pizza (which he enjoys by the way), and he was worried something was wrong with him, because he didn't fit in. I know what that's like. Our 2 hour long conversation helped us both. He told me he had never heard anyone say these things before, and that he learned a great deal he had never considered before. I told him that he was proof that yet another person out there belongs to "our" Tribe. As we both got up and walked separate directions, I was almost out of sight when he yelled my name, "Michele!!!" I turned around and he put his hand in the air and said, "Thanks!!" I told him the same and we went down our own paths.I may never see him again. But it's really cool to think about the fact that for a mere 2 hours in both of our lives, we connected and shared parts of ourselves that we will both think about for the rest of our lives. What are the chances that on a Wednesday afternoon, (I normally hike in the morning), that I would choose to go another 2 miles (I almost left after 6 due to an appointment I had later, but decided I could make it), and I would run into a man that had not been there for 8 years, and we would share this conversation?