While I wait to begin the Appalachian Trail, I walk every day. Some days with my pack and some days without it. It's raining today so I'll go out in the rain. While I wait to begin the trail, I read. I am reading a couple of books. I Hike:Mostly True Stores from 10,000 Miles of Hiking by Lawton Grinter -- Amazon's description: "I never set out to hike 10,000 miles. It just sort of happened over the course of a decade." And so goes Lawton Grinter's compelling collection of short stories that have been over ten years and 10,000 trail miles in the making. I Hike brings the reader trail side with blissful moments on the highest mountain ridges to the mental lows of mosquito hell and into some peculiar situations that even seasoned hikers may find unbelievable.
The second book I downloaded to my Kindle to take on the trail but when I started to read it, I couldn't stop. I'm about 3/4th of the way through Blind Courage by Bill Irwin. Bill is the first and only blind person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail along with his guide dog, Orient. They were on the trail almost 9 months.
What follows is a short video clip of Bill and Orient on the Appalachian Trail; this grabbed my heart!
Amazon's book description - In a remarkable true story of commitment, perseverance and the will to survive, Bill Irwin, the first and only blind person to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, through fourteen states, along 2,168.9 miles, Bill and Orient walked, sending a message to all of us, reminding us of and encouraging us to pursue our own impossible dreams. Review by his daughter Marianne: A friend asked me if I had ever read the book and I was embarrassed to tell her that I had not. I began reading it, and I found it very difficult to put it down. I was fascinated by the details of this amazing journey my father had made, and all that went on in my father's life before, during, and after that trip. It inspired me to make some changes in my own life. I am grateful to call this man my father!
His story could be our story. I have clipped (Kindle's way of highlighting) many passages so far from this book. The first - "When the thought first occurred that the Lord might want me to hike the trail, I put it out of my mind. When the idea kept coming back, I told God He had the wrong Bill Irwin. "I'm the blind guy, remember?" (I didn't put the thought out of my head but I didn't take it too seriously at first. I said, really, Lord ? I like hiking for a day and spending the night at a lodge or bed and breakfast but I have no experience back packing.)
"If people ever wonder who buys the trousers with the 36" waist and the 29" length that are always left on the sale table, it's me. My legs were too short for climbing mountains and my muscles were too weak." (I'm 5' 4" and if I allow myself to think ahead about the rock climbing parts, fear rears it's ugly head. So, I'm only going to take one day a time.)
"I had heard people talk about living by faith, and this was going to be my chance to discover what that was all about." (In 1983 during a Cursillo weekend I began my journey of discovery.)
"I explained that my journey was a way of saying thanks to God for all He had done in my life." (No matter the number of miles I travel, I will give thanks to God for inviting me to the trail and for walking with me.)
"Easter Sunday morning, I attended a sunrise service held by the Salvation Army at a little rural church. It was a wonderful time and filled my cup for the day. I was reminded that God was in charge of the hike, and everything was going to happen just the way He wanted it to." (I believe God wants me to attend mass during the months I'm on the trail. So I'm trusting He'll make a way for me even though I don't want to hitch hike.)
"Sighted hikers do experience visual rewards that were hidden from me on the A.T., but there are things that none of us can see unless we look through the eyes of our souls. For me, those images were like time exposures created as each succeeding day and night allowed a small portion of light to leave its mark on the file of my mind." (Looking through the eye of my soul - I know the experience and look forward to it on the trail).
John 15:5 - Abide in Me ... for apart from me you can do nothing.
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