Have you ever been told to “Take a hike!” by someone? In 2018, one of my daughters asked me if I was open to take a hike with her on a portion of the Appalachian Trail (AT) through the Great Smoky Mountains in September of 2019. This was a dream come true. I love hiking and the Smoky Mountains.

Plans were made, the year passed, and the day came. I remember so vividly having doubts as my wife drove us further away from civilization to our starting point in the mountains. Had I bitten off more than I could handle? This was the wilderness and not much along the way to help if my 66-year old body couldn’t make it.  We arrived, said our goodbyes to my wife, and started off. It was a great hike, met some seasoned hikers, learned valuable life lessons, and we lived through it.

One seasoned hiker said: “When in the wilderness I learned three important lessons. The first: keep it simple.  The second: keep it simple.  The third: keep it simple.” This might seem very unpretentious, but in the wilderness, you carry everything to survive on your back. Your goal is to keep the weight in your pack low. Our 40 pound pack for a 7-day wilderness hike that we thought was practical and needed for survival, was in reality, way too heavy, not very simple, and a burden.

Lesson two: often times we pack our fears. This was truly our challenge. We learned to ask: what do you absolutely need, what can you get by without, and what are you willing to carry that is an extra.  Too heavy a pack becomes a matter of life and death on the trail.

Lesson three: the power of silence and nature. The wilderness can force you into silence and self-reflection. When asked, one hiker said that every hiker has a story, and each one is on the trail for a purpose. It might be to find themselves, to prove themselves, to sort things out, to have a sense of accomplishment and being able to survive what nature throws at you, it might even be to find oneself and God. To know ourself in God is key.

Lesson four: the importance of others. We seldom ran across a solo hiker. There are lots of solo hikers doing the trail, but early in the journey they come across another solo and they strike up a relationship and hike as a pair, sometimes turning into small groups.  The wisdom and experience of other companions is invaluable and could save your life. It did us.

So how can these AT lessons help with our spiritual lives?  Our days can be so crammed with lots of good things, tight schedules, that they become too heavy for us to carry. Slow down, keep it simple, keep it simple, keep it simple. Trash your sins (confession) and carry only what is necessary.  Find God and the power of silence. Don’t do things as a solo. Now, go “Take a hike!”.

For Reflection:

How can I apply the “lessons of the wilderness” of keeping it simple, trashing my sins, finding God in silence, and not be a solo hiker in the wildernesses of my daily life? Do I make room for silence in my day to reflect on who I am and how I am doing with God? What kind of companions do I surround myself with? Can they help me through my challenges and stresses?

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, stir into flame Your fire and forge me into the image of Jesus. So transform me that I may trust God for helping me hike through the wildernesses of my life and that I may rely on others to help me through my challenges of just living life for You.

(blogged September 15, 2024)
Subscribe to my newsletter!