Date: 2009-10-07
To: Back to School
Miles today: 0.0

Today was fun! I got to go back and visit Jessica's (my niece) 5th Grade Class. I got to talk to them last year prior to the beginning of the hike. And she was able to get them all together again this year, both her class from last year and this year's class.When I talked to them last year, it was all about what I expected to happen and what I expected to see. It was much more fun this year talking about what did happen and showing them photos of what I did see. Of course, I think they liked the animal photos and discussions the most.I think it also served as a good "wrap up" of the hike for me. In military terms .... I briefed the mission, executed the mission, and today I did the debrief. Now it's time to move on.I'm one of the lucky ones when it comes to this. My whole life has been about moving on. I would get stationed at a base for a couple of years, do a job, and then it would be time to move on. So even if I really liked the job, the city, and the friends I had .... I would have to transfer and start over. This is pretty much the same thing. The thing is .... the move always ended up being a good thing in the end. I know this, will be patient, and know that it will be good once again.So there it is ..... mission complete. I'm rested, and ready to start anew! Nothing is set in stone right now, but I have a feeling I am going to actually start looking for a real job. By that I mean one that pays real money, a real company, and real responsibility. I think it's what I'm built for. The hike was a great break from the real world, I totally loved it and wouldn't trade those 6 month for any in my life, but I also really missed the real world.I'll post another entry on my feelings about the hike and the real world, and what post hike life is like in the next couple of days.And I'll keep you posted on the job search.Thought for the day!I saw the following posted on another hiker's journal. Words can be powerful, but only as powerful as you let them be. Remember people, you, and you alone ever give words any power over you, yourself. I feel bad for this guy .... if he truly meant what he wrote."... once the idea seemed to be a real possibility, once I thought I COULD do it, I HAD to do it- for I knew that if I didn't, I would be haunted by the omission forever. The hardest thing to bear in life, I am sure, is never to have lived your dream. Having lived and survived this adventure, I can now say, with some sadness, that the second hardest thing to bear in life is already to have lived one's dream."-George MeeganThe Longest WalkI was an Instructor Bombardier and the Director of Training for a couple of years at Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, LA. I realized very early that this is what I was born to do! I loved doing that particular job, it was built for me and I was built for it, blah-blah-blah. I know for a fact that I will never be that happy "working" ever again .... no possibility. But I don't see it as hard or sad to have had that, and now don't have it. I feel totally blessed that I actually was one of the lucky ones that found that "thing" that they were born to do, and actually got the chance to do it. It was amazing. Likewise, I'm really not sad the Appalachian Trail hike is over. Again, I feel so blessed to have been able to accomplish that dream! Now it's simply time to accomplish the "next dream", or if there isn't one right now, I need to just start dreaming.Now I'd be letting my best friend, Scott Tobin, down right now if I didn't take the opportunity to share a quote we both feel is the key to actually making dreams happen .... "A goal without a plan is just a wish" .... I could substitute "dream" for "wish". This Quote was the tagline for Storm's Trail Journal. Great tagline Storm. I believe!Time for a new dream!! No need to be sad .... time to spark the imagination, fueled by the fact that you've proved to yourself that you can make dreams happen! More later, Bison .... uh, er, Mark