lessons learned: it’s not the destination
This post is part of the discussion series titled The Path to Healthy Living Through the Great Outdoors. The point of these topics is not for just me to just share them and move on, but rather to foster some discussion on these ideas and how they apply in "your" life. We're not sitting around the same table, but we can still have a discussion. Just leave your own thoughts in the comments below, or send them to me privately if you prefer. You'll find a complete list of all the topics at the end of this post.
It’s not JUST about the destination, sometimes it’s about just trying.
On this particular trip, a friend and I were looking to snowshoe Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park. As the name implies, it follows a ridge that offers spectacular views of the Salish Sea and Vancouver Island to the north to the various peaks of the Olympic National Park to the south.
However, when we got there we were greeted with near white out conditions.
It was cold and windy, and we could barely tell what was snow and what was sky as we looked further up the ridge towards the peak we were trying to reach. But we did get there, and huddled among a couple of small trees to get down a quick snack before making our way back down.
More than once we questioned why were we doing this, there was no big reward once we got to the peak, and we still had miles of snowshoeing ahead of us to return. But that feeling of accomplishment with each step we took, just being out there with a friend, in this instance celebrating a milestone in his life with him, made it worth it.
Sometimes the journey itself is the destination, is it’s own reward. It’s not about where you’re going, it’s just about that journey towards better health and each step that takes you along that path.
And of course, that can lead to some unexpected rewards along the way. We were nearly back to the trailhead when the clouds started to break, and thus we were rewarded with this wonderful view of the surrounding peaks.
This following is the complete list of topics that make up The Path to Healthy Living Through the Great Outdoors discussion topics. While these topics are listed as a sort of progression, they can be viewed/discussed in any order. Titles will get an active link as they are posted.
- an idea born in nature (introduction)
- have a plan
- be prepared
- choose your own path
- it's not a straight line
- stay on the trail
- it's ok to stray at times
- keep trying
- take another look around
- push your limits
- never forget
- put it all behind you
- it's not the destination
- share your journey
- just get out there
