Trials On Trails

Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee

Last week's entry was about following the map laid out by fellow travellers going down a similar path. The focal point of this essay is the pursuit of your own path; following your own internal compass. There are numerous benefits of striking out on your own, some of which I touched based on in The Backpacker’s Path and Peeling Away The Layers. Then, of course, with anything novel and unique comes with it an increased possibility of things not going according to plan. Obstacles in the form of unforeseen setbacks, miscalculations, and miscommunications could happen more frequently due to the lack of a prior bearing to follow. The question then is why take such unnecessary measures? All for the sake of having a noteworthy adventure? Perhaps, but there is much to gain from going through your own mistakes and the self-realization of where you have erred. The lessons learned will embed itself into your mind at a deeper level. All of which may prove to be useful someday as we move through life. We are all going through some sort of journey as we live each day and, as much as we would like to think that we have it all figured out, the future is never promised. We all jump head first into the void; into the great unknown. Similar to exploration ships making their way through a thick fog, a need may also arise on our life’s journey to alter the course. A wrong turn made. An unwise decision. This is an inevitability in the life of a backpacker and an inescapable trait in life. It is a natural characteristic to have our emotions sometimes get the better of us with the outcome being irrational and poor decisions. Nothing good can come from a state of mind in which emotion takes over logic and perspective. Our species are not infallible to mistakes; it is what makes us human. We have simply lost our bearings. It’s recognizing these momentary lapses of weakness that we can learn to make rational decisions moving forward. It’s the reaction to this obstacle, not the circumstance, that matters. The choices that we make to get back on course should be the focus of our energies. That’s what gives travel its magic. It can provide that real world education that can be transferred to everyday life. So whatever obstacle you may come across on the road or at home, stop and take a moment. Breathe. Find your centre. This is all but a lesson. Take note.