We'll start with a bit a history. The first and most important thing that anyone who might be reading this and doesn't know me is that I am a Christian. I came to know Christ at a rather early age. I later went to college thinking I was going into the full time ministry. After I finally graduated college (it took me a little longer than expected), I got married to the girl I had dated since high school and, really, the only girl I had ever dated. I also left to start seminary. Though, things weren't always easy, everything seemed to be going according to plan and I was content. Of course, this was all my plan, and God's plans always trump our own.
Everything was derailed when my wife suddenly leaves. I was now by myself away from any friends or family at seminary. I decided to finish out the semester but I had absolutely no desire to stay there any longer so I moved back home. I found a job doing security which I have plenty of experience in. After a while, I became indecisive. I couldn't decide whether it was God's will to return to ministry despite a lack of passion for full-time ministry or go into another field that does interest me now and do God's will from there.
During all of this, a new desire was growing in me. I had always loved the woods near near my house growing up, but now wanted to be out in nature more and more. I started driving up to the mountains whenever I had the chance. Despite my poor physique, I would go hiking occasionally. I've channeled this into trying to get a career as a park ranger but so far, that hasn't worked. What I really needed was an adventure or a journey of some sorts I could take. I didn't know what I could do since security does not pay well at all. Then one day, my best friend mentioned something to me that some of his other friends were talking about: hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. It seemed interesting but I didn't know if it was something practical. I began researching it, and researching even more. I wanted to know everything I could about this idea. I realized that this was actually doable!
Over the next couple of years, I would plan for this. I have no family that I'm responsible for, I have no financial obligations, and I'm at a job that I don't really mind leaving. The planning did come to a slight halt for a couple months when I entered a new relationship but that was short-lived. There was only one thing that truly scared me about starting. My grandfathers health was failing and did not want to me unreachable in the woods somewhere should something happen. Then, last year a few days after Christmas, the day before my birthday, he died. I knew he was far better off than any of us now. I was mostly worried about my now alone grandmother, and I still do.
However, now I've decided that 2012 is the year I will take this adventure unless I was to find some new job that I would want to make a career of, but I haven't. I haven't quite figure everything out. There are still some logistical things I need to figure out like how to get home from Mount Katahdin (the northern end of the trail) once I get there. I have decided, though, that I will depart from Springer Mountain in March. The main problem I've read is that it usually is crowded that of year but I'll deal with that. I'll be chronicling my adventure and my preparation for it here so keep reading if you're interested. Of course, there are other things I'm interested in so I my post about those now and then. I just hope you can be patient with me and the fact that I'm not very good with proofreading. Until next time...
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