Erin Reno- Individuality on The Trail

Today a part of class discussion struck a chord with me.  There are no two hikes that are exactly the same.  Even for people who are completing the same trail, even at the very same time, they will not be having the same journey.  This is because spirituality is so unique to each person, there is no way for it to be mimicked while remaining truthful.  Spirituality comes in different levels of awareness, some people may be very in tune, others wouldn't even know that they had a spiritual experience per say, just that it left them profoundly effected.  This realization put into perspective for me expectation of a thru-hike.  Multiple times this semester I have entertained the idea; would I be able to complete a thru-hike on the AT?  Would I want to experience this spiritual journey myself?  Simply put, do I want what those other people have?  But the answer is that there is no way to guarantee those results!  One of the four axioms states that you don't choose a sacred place, it chooses you.  I can infer the same applies to a spiritual experience.  Still, it seems like a fun experience that I may one day like to try.

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