Portrait 32: Mark

"I miss my family so much." - Mark, a hiker

After years of hiking sections on the AT, Mark decided he wanted to go for the whole thing. He wanted a full thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. I met him in Pennsylvania and we talked about how he disliked the pressure to hit miles every day. He wants to explore and play. He wants to take the side trails and see the sights and be care free. And he wants to see his family at the end of the section. "I love this trail but I miss my family. I miss my family so much." He cried as he told me how the thing he really wants is to have fun, get great stories, and share those stories with his family.

He left trail the next day.

I frequently say that thru hiking is a ridiculous thing to do if your heart isn't in it. This may look like quitting to some people, but that's a matter of perspective. And Mark is not alone. Last week, after 2500 miles, I quit my yoyo. The moment I touched the sign on top of Katahdin, I felt that I wasn't going to hike SoBo. I was still excited for the walk to Canada, and I had a great time with it. I spent those days telling myself that I can do this. I also spent those days telling jokes, trading stories, taking photos, petting dogs, and loving life. I realized that I still want to hike, but not the AT.

Like Mark, I had some clarity about what I really want in life and what is good for me. Like Mark, I had a lot of difficulty in making the decision to change my goals. Like Mark, I accepted that it's time to move on. And like Mark, I know that following through on this difficult decision to move on is the best thing for me long-term.