“If you’re reading this then I hope something good happens to you today.”
Enough said.
Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy
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Author Archives: Freedom Hiker
Can’t we all just get along? (at least until November)
“I don’t have to agree with you to like you or respect you.”
-Anthony Bourdain
“A lot of lip service gets paid to being honest, but no one really wants to hear it unless what’s being said is the party line.”
― Colin Quinn
Disagreement is something normal.
-Dalai Lama
I vowed that when I started this blog that I would not discuss politics. By virtue of the fact that this is an election year, the discussions about who will be the next president have already begun. With the start of the silly season comes much discussion, debate and arguing. Unfortunately but predictably, the discourse has already turned ugly on both sides and it promises to only get worse as each side regurgitates its own set of talking points.
It is also unfortunate that I am not just talking about the candidates, I am talking about the everyday person. Yes, you and I. Your family, friends, co-workers and strangers are already robustly letting each other know what they think about each of the candidates on both the left and the right and it isn’t pretty.
Why then am I writing about politics? I am writing about it because I want to make a plea to everyone out there today. If you are on the far left, the far right, a moderate, progressive or whatever you choose to call yourself, please read the following and join me in an attempt to make it through November without losing family or friends based on the ugly and often untrue statements or comments that are made during “friendly conversations.” Ok. With all of that said, here we go…
One of the greatest gifts we have is being able to live in a democracy and having the ability to speak our minds about where we stand on the political spectrum. In the years that we elect a new president, it seems that many more people seem to care about politics than in the off years. As spring turns to summer and summer into fall, the attempt to have our positions heard rises to disturbing levels.
With that discussion, of course, comes disagreement. Now don’t get me wrong, disagreement is a good thing as long as it is reasonable and intellectually honest. As noted above, the Dalai Lama says that “disagreement is something normal.” Let me give you some examples.
As you may or may not know, I tend to lean to the right when it comes to fiscal and military issues and to the left in regards to social issues. I like to think that I am more independent than anything else. Each and every time, however, that I express dissatisfaction with something that President Obama has said or done, it is always insinuated that I am a racist. If I don’t support Hillary, I am then sexist. Could it be possible that I just don’t agree with you?
Sorry folks. Making fun of people (candidates and those you are debating with) and calling them a racist, sexist, homophobe, islamophobe etc. does not make you right, it instead shows your ignorance. You need to support your arguments with facts and not the usual race to blame everything on, well, race or sex. Falling prey to the name calling and the labeling makes you intellectually dishonest, thereby taking you out of the discussion.
I am making a plea today for everyone reading this not to take the easy way out during this election cycle. Assume that you know and will meet people that have opinions that differ from yours. Let that other person be the one that makes the leap immediately to the negative. When you choose to share the lies and negative nasty comments that you find on social media about any of the candidates, you make the choice to be part of the problem, and not the solution. You also show that your ability to to engage in a rational and productive political discussion is non existent.
Since this blog is shared on facebook, I am hoping that those of you who are reading this take what I have written to heart and join me in keeping this political cycle a decent and productive one. Electing a president of the United States is, in my opinion, is one of the most important things we can do as a citizen. Let’s not turn into savages as we do it, whichever side you are on.
If just for a day…
It isn’t often these days where you get to personally experience the kindness of strangers. Unfortunately for me, I have become very cynical towards people and have come to expect rude, inappropriate or indifferent behavior. I do not have much faith that people would act to help someone even if they were obviously in trouble. Now, before I go any further, I admit that I am far from perfect but I have made an honest attempt over the course of the last several years to treat people the way that I would want to be treated. Am I always successful in this endeavor? Not at all. But I like to believe that I am making a positive change in this area.
Today we were at the Danbury Mall where my daughter was getting a second hole pierced in each ear. Even after the piercing, she told us with a smile on her face that it hadn’t hurt and she was pretty surprised at that. However, as soon as she stood up, my wife saw that something wasn’t right. My daughter’s eyes had glazed over, she couldn’t speak, her knees began to buckle and she passed out. She and the woman working at the store gently lowered her to the ground and began asking if she was ok.
As this was happening, a couple of strangers came over to see if she was ok. They were kind, considerate and spoke to my daughter as if they had always known her.
After several minutes I asked Hope if she wanted to try and stand up. She said yes and I helped her get to her feet. We walked out of the store I looked to my right and knew immediately that having her get up so quickly had been a mistake. She had the glazed look again and was mumbling incoherently. At that point she passed out again. Not that I wasn’t worried before, but I was really concerned now thinking that something was really wrong.
Security arrived and I asked them to call paramedics so she could be checked out by medical professionals. Once again, several people stopped and asked if there was anything they could do. They spoke with my daughter and asked if my wife and I were ok. A gentleman soon saw what was happening and identified himself as an EMT.
I think that I can assume that he either worked for a living as an EMT or as a volunteer in a local fire department in the area, but the fact remains that he did not have to stop to see what was going on, but he did. Those 5-6 other people who stopped to see what they could do to help didn’t have to, but they did. The EMT spoke to my daughter and waited until the fire department arrived to take over. As he was walking away, he seemed genuinely surprised when I stopped him, shook his hand and thanked him for taking the time to make sure that Hope was ok. Soon after that, the EMT’s arrived, did what they had to do, and told us that Hope would be ok.
My whole point in relating this story to you is that I am thankful that we still have people who care enough when they see someone in distress to stop and see if they can help. Of course it could have been the fact that she was 14 years old, but once again, they chose to stop to see what they could do to help. The concern was genuine and I genuinely appreciated their assistance. After the professionals arrived and they began to drift away, I made it a point to thank each of these strangers for doing what has unfortunately become behavior that can not be expected. That in itself is truly saddening. My sadness lies in the fact that it seems that people are so fearful these days (of so many things), that although they may want to help when it is needed, their fear does not let them.
I know that it may seem trivial, but it was heartening to have these total strangers approach us to ask if they could help. My faith in humanity has been restored, if only for a day.
For Educators: Happy New Years (times 2)
“Being proactive rather than reactive means to control a situation rather than letting it control you.”
-Unknown
Many people look forward to the New Year as a chance to start again or to make changes in their lives that everyone hopes will make us better people. December 31st is one of the two days of the year for educators when they get to reflect and then assess whether what they are doing is truly working in their best interest. Did I do good things this year? Was I a good person at home and to the people that I work with? That also goes along with the myriad of personal resolutions that we all say we are going to follow through on and usually don’t. Unfortunately, resolutions tend to fall apart pretty soon after the New Year and it really isn’t your fault. Any resolution that you were going to make is usually doomed before it even becomes a fully well formed thought.
Think about it. If you really wanted to make changes in your life, why would you wait for the New Year? Since many of the New Year’s resolutions that we make are health related, why wouldn’t you start it when you really needed to? Did you wake up on December 31st and suddenly notice that you were in need of an overhaul? New Year’s resolutions tends to look good at the time, but when reality sets in and the rubber hits the road, we give up.
In regards to teachers, the same thing happens towards the end of June every year. As the school year breathes its final and debilitating breathe, we look back and take a mental inventory as to what went right and what didn’t. On it’s face, it seems like a good idea to do this, and it is. However, I have to ask the question-If you knew something wasn’t working in your classroom, why wouldn’t you change it at the time? Why do you need to wait until the end of the calendar year or school year before you try to affect some real change in your personal or work life?
My point is this-As somewhat educated people, we should be changing and evolving ourselves and our practice every day and not just in January and June. We should be looking at ways in which small changes can be implemented throughout the year so we can prevent a complete overhaul. Compare your resolution to your car. The manufacture has kindly listed all of the preventive maintenance that you should perform at different intervals so your car continues to run in a satisfactory manner. If you fail to do the little things now, chances that something catastrophic will happen at some point increases dramatically and you will have to spend a great deal of money to repair the damage.
If you are going to have any success with a resolution, try this: resolve to be more proactive in every aspect of your life. Most of us, regardless of race, creed, color, age and sex, tend to be reactive in nature. We seem to have a preoccupation with allowing things to happens to us and then when we are overwhelmed, we try to deal with them, usually not very well. One thing that I have kind of figured out, is that it is usually much harder to fix things than it is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Especially when you know that things are out of sorts. When you make the decision to take a more proactive approach to life, you then decide how you want things in your life to turn out and then take specific actions to make them happen.
Happy New Years!!!!
One road I’ve traveled and traveled and traveled….
“Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks. Also learn from holy books and wise people. Everything – even mountains, rivers, plants and trees – should be your teacher.”
-Morihei Ueshiba
Pulling up to the trailhead I couldn’t help thinking that I had been there before, many times. The drive up South Mt. pass was all too familiar, but still comforting knowing the direction I was headed. The turn off of route 9, just opposite of the decrepit deli that never seems to have any customers, the horses that always seem to close to the road and the houses set back in the woods-only to be seen when the trees are bare and the warmth of the summer has left us. All of these things remind me of the different paths, I have taken throughout my life. Curving and winding roads that led me to places that at times didn’t necessarily make sense, but I took them anyway.
I park the jeep and step out onto the moist dirt, sinking ever so slightly with every step that I take. I walk around to the back, open the gate and pull out the Kelty daypack that has kept me company on every hike that I have done for at least the last fifteen years. Examining the pack, I marvel at the fact that as old as it is, the wear and tear is just about non-existent. Green in color with yellow straps, the only damage that is visible is a cracked buckle on the waist belt.
My trusty friend and I have seen rain, sleet, hail, snow and at least a 100 degree range in temperature during its life. I open the top and look inside, making sure that my water bottles are filled, camera and ipod are secured and my cell phone is within reach. Yes, the picture above is my actual pack and trekking poles!
I put the pack down, lace up my boots and adjust my hiking poles, eagerly anticipating another trip to The Nose. Sitting on the back of the Jeep, I take a deep breath and look up the Appalachian Trail at the white blazes and think about the thousands of stories that they could tell if they were able to. Throwing my pack on, I adjust the straps and head up the trail.
Seeing as it is Christmas Eve, I fully expect to see more people heading to the Nose, but they are curiously absent. As I leave the safety of the parking area, I have to admit that I am perfectly happy knowing that I am the only one (from this location) making what I hope will be a quiet hike to the viewpoint.I begin to focus on my surroundings as the jeep slowly disappears behind me and the sound of the small stream that I passed becomes a distant memory.
I am always amazed at the way that the wind sounds as it passes through the trees. Depending on the season, it can range from a soothing warm embrace that permeates every pore of your body to a cold chill that cuts through even the warmest of clothes. Today, the temperature is an incredibly unseasonable 65 degrees so the breeze, even though it is December 24th, is oddly soothing. The light rain that is falling helps contribute to a to a satisfying sense of well being.
Marching steadily uphill I relish in the fact that I still have not seen or heard another person. The solitude has allowed me to focus on the moment at hand. The crunch of leaves, the tic, tic, tic of my trekking poles hitting the rocks on the trail and the sound of every breath that I take helps better clear away the garbage that has accumulated over several weeks of not being able to get out into the woods. I like to think of it as a mental tune up where I can get rid of that negative energy and recharge my batteries.
After 30 minutes of pretty intense reflecting and walking, I reach the intersection of the AT and the Camp Smith trail. Since it is still warm and only drizzling, I am in no hurry to reach the top and decide to take a quick break before I tackle the final mile to the viewpoint. The point where the two trails meet is a favorite path to the top of many hikers so I fully expect to see others out enjoying the day.
To my further delight, I don’t see anyone as I prepare myself for the task ahead. Pushing on, I selfishly hope that no one else is (at the very least) sitting at my favorite spot. If you have ever seen pictures that I have taken on the Nose, you will have a pretty good idea of where that is!!
The rain and wind pick up as I round the final curve to the viewpoint and I am amazed that I can not see a single person!! This is unheard of! I quickly head to my “spot” and take off my pack, placing my poles next to my trusted friend and sit down, enjoying the solitude that has been given to me on this beautiful day.
It truly does not get any better than this…
Think about it. Time passes way to quickly and life is certainly shorter than we all think. What do you do to “recharge” your batteries? Do you get a chance to purge the negativity from your life, if only occasionally? Regardless of how you choose to do it, make sure that you find something that you can call yours, if only for a little awhile.
Does music soothe your savage breast?
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.”
-John Burroughs
“Music to me is the air that I breathe, it’s the blood that pumps through my veins that keeps me alive.”
-Billie Joe Armstrong
I love music. I always have and always will. Music has been there for me through all of the good, bad and indifferent times over the course of my life. The lyrics I have memorized and the melodies I love to hear play over and over again on a constant loop like my own personal soundtrack. This is twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.
As the years have passed, I have found that my musical tastes have mellowed along with my demeanor. Gone (hopefully) are the days of constant anger and aggression, replaced in part by a sense of well being brought on by making certain positive life choices and then implementing them to see what direction they take me in.
Now, while I still listen to the bands that I did when I was younger (Ozzy, Mettalica, Black Sabbath), today I am drawn more to the likes of the Grateful Dead, Phish, the String Cheese Incident as well as old classic rock favorites such as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. When I really feel a need to decompress after a particularly trying day, I’ll put on Bach, Enya or perhaps George Winston.
Each of these artists, depending on my mood and frame of mind, allows me to transcend my personal reality and as a result, I do not have to dwell on whatever that particular day has brought to me. It is my goal to not live in the past, but instead do the best I can with the present so it can enlighten my future.
Although I do not usually listen to music while I am hiking, I will pull out the ipod when I reach a viewpoint or stop to take a rest. The music I listen to when I am hiking are the woods themselves. The soft crunch and swishing of the leaves as I walk along the trail puts me at ease, the same way that music does. The best thing about this is that when you allow yourself to hear the music of the woods, the song never ends! Even hiking in the rain provides a melody all its own that can’t be denied. I like to think of days like this as being under the influence of Mother Nature.
So where does that leave us? Whenever I go out into the woods I do so with a purpose. While hiking for the sake of hiking is ok, you can make a choice to bring each and every hike to a different level after answering a few questions.
First, what brings you to the trail? Thinking about why you are heading out and what you would like to accomplish by being out in the woods. Are you just trying to clear your mind after a bad day? Are you looking for answers to a problem? Whatever the case may be, clear your mind of everything else and get out there. The rest will take care of itself.
Second, think about where you are hiking. It may not seem that important, but subconsciously the hike you choose to do on any particular day reflects the frame of mind that you are in at that time. I know that when I really need to clear my mind, I pick a hike that I know will be challenging. I pick a hike that I know will force me to take full account of what I am doing. I am hiking!!!
Third, getting outside, embracing nature and taking advantage of that time and what the outdoors has to offer is very therapeutic and transformative. When you are hiking, either with friends or alone, take the time with your thoughts so you can really embrace each moment. You can think and focus on what you need to configure your own revitalization and rejuvenation.
So take the music that is the soundtrack of your life and your love of the woods and savor those memories. Take the time to file each of them away in your heart instead of just in your mind. That is what makes not only hiking, but your life, special.
There is no Zen in PC thought.
“Tolerance isn’t about not having beliefs. It’s about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you.”
-Timothy Keller
We live in a pretty disturbing time. Yes, we have to contend with ISIS, economic woes, poverty and many other issues that consume our thoughts. But in the last couple of weeks, however, something more disturbing has come to the forefront and really needs to be examined.
Let me first say that I am no fan of political correctness. My friends, political correctness has run amok in this country. Our college campuses, high schools and society have fallen prey to the ideas of a few, and if you don’t agree with them, you are then branded a bigot among other things. Gone are the days when you could actually have an opposing thought, because if you don’t agree with a person or a group, then you have committed some form of unthinkable crime. Peter Thiel says that “the core problem in our society is political correctness.”
I firmly believe that we all strive to think and act in ways that correspond to a belief that most everyone is tolerant of others in society. Unfortunately this is not always the case. It seems that those who claim to be the most tolerant are not. I honestly can not comprehend how you can say that a person is racist, bigoted, homophobic or whatever because they don’t agree with you is acting in a tolerant manner. Noted author Ray A. Davis sums it up perfectly when he says that “tolerance only for those who agree with you is no tolerance at all.”
As a strong believer in the first amendment, it should be obvious that as long as you’re not threatening anyone or spreading any type of hate speech that could hurt someone, then what you say should be left alone. You shouldn’t be demonized, threatened and ostracized because of your beliefs. The beauty of the first amendment and living in the United States is that we are allowed to actively disagree with others who do not share the same thoughts.
I would like those who instantly have a guttural reaction to those who oppose them and vocalize it to rethink their reaction and ask themselves, “how is this being tolerant?”
In trying to be a more compassionate, and yes, a more tolerant person, I am trying to keep an open mind to other people. I’m not going to lie-this has proven to be a very difficult task. I do not agree with a great many things, but I refuse to resort to saying that someone is a racist etc. because they do not agree with me. What then can we do to truly show that we are tolerant?
First and foremost, everyone needs to accept the fact that people are not going to agree with everything that you say or think. Having this belief alone would considerably elevate the level of discussion in this country when it pertains to controversial issues,
Second, let’s agree that just because someone disagrees with us that they instead choose another way of reacting than spewing hate back at your detractors. Accept what they have to say as what they believe. Resorting to the old responses of “you’re a racist or a homophobe” just doesn’t cut it anymore. If anything, it shows a distinct lack of intellectual depth and understanding of what free speech is.
Third, if you disagree with a radio program or a television show based on its content or message, turn it off. If you find a book, blog, newspaper article or any other written matter to be offensive, don’t read it. It really is as simple as that. As fervently as you hold your beliefs, so do people who disagree with you. And that is the point as well as the big picture.
As with earlier posts, you may be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with hiking, and more importantly Zen Hiking?” I believe that a distinct correlation exists between the two. Being Zen in being able to live in the now, and not worry about what has happened in the past and what may happen in the future. We all want to live our lives as we choose without being afraid to express our views.
Taking the time to think while I hike has allowed me to do several things. I know that at work I have colleagues who have expressed differing viewpoints as to handle a situation. When I am out in the woods (especially this time of year) walking, thinking and breathing in the crisp autumn air gives me a chance to examine each side of a situation. Sometimes I stand firm and other times I am compelled to change my view based on what has been presented to me. Regardless of what the end result is, I have thought about it and can further articulate it when asked to do so. I am not blindly and ignorantly shutting down the ability to express opinions that differ from mine own.
Another colleague, whom I respect immensely, told me recently after a rather contentious discussion that she disagreed 100% with what I had to say. No name calling, no threats. A mutual disagreement among colleagues that did not end badly That is how it should be.
My point is a simple one. We all choose how we react to everything that happens to us everyday. We can choose to react passively or in anger. We can choose to react showing our ignorance. But, if we choose to do so, we can react in a manner that shows compassion and tolerance. Labeling and calling people names because they do not share our thoughts is the antithesis of actually being tolerant.
Think about these questions:
If I choose to react in a negative manner to those who disagree with me, how is that promoting any type pf beneficial discussion?
If I choose to accept the fact that other people will hold different beliefs, can that possibly hurt further discussion?
If I am at a point where I hold a very strong belief, can I at least get to a place where I can, at the very least, begin to understand where that other person is coming from?
“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.
-Buddha
Remember when you were young?
Does anyone besides me remember when kids played outside and had to actually engage in some form of human interaction? For years now, whenever I talk to kids (I work in a high school) and ask them what they did over the course of a weekend or during summer break, I always get the same answer and it never involves being outside.
Most of the responses I get involve the couch, sleeping and video games. Very rarely do I have kids tell me about the time they spent actually being outside and just playing. Forget about hiking. I talk about the hikes that I do and they look at me as if I am from another planet. As a matter of fact, the look they give me is the same one that I see when I tell them when I was their age we only had channels 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 to choose from on the television. And to make matters worse, Channel 13 was Public Broadcasting!!!
Children of my generation just didn’t play outside, we explored. There was a sense of excitement as we ran through the woods and built forts and just spent hours upon hours of wandering. The great thing about it was that it never got old. No matter how many times you walked through the same woods, on the same path, it didn’t matter whether it was a beautiful day or raining, it seemed as if there was always something new to experience. The only limits to do what we could do depended on how much our imagination held us back. Remembering that time, there were no limits.
As you know, I look forward to being outside hiking as a way to balance myself and to get rid of the mental garbage that accumulates on a daily basis. I find it refreshing to be able to breathe in the air and feel the soft swell of the earth under my feet as I hike towards an awesome view point or from trail to trail. I have found that it is not the end that counts, it’s the journey.
REI, the sporting goods company, is giving all of their employees the day after Thanksgiving off so that they can “opt outside.” Why? They are encouraging all of their employees to take the day and hit the trails. Shouldn’t we all be doing this? Shouldn’t we be encouraging our kids to get outside and do something? We have an entire generation of kids who spend seven hours a day in school and then the rest of the evening inside watching tv or playing video games.
In looking at the big picture, can I automatically assume that everyone will experience the same benefit that I do from spending time outside? Can I assume that if someone takes the time to get out and just walk around, that they would feel better, both physically and psychologically? I think that the proof of this can not be denied.
We all lament about the “good old days” and how things used to be so much simpler than they are today. The time where we didn’t mind being outside, even in the rain and the snow. I really wonder what it will take to get back to that time? Can we? Should we? Sure, it is really great to be able to get out into the woods when I can, but I’m not going to lie, it isn’t enough and I wish it was more. Do you remember when you were young?
“It’s not my fault.” Thoughts on taking responsibility when no one else does (or will).
“Cut the crap and stop whining. Put your big boy pants on and suck it up.”
-The Zen Hiker
I am, and always have been, a firm believer in personal responsibility. I believe that everything that happens to us, and doesn’t happen to us is a direct result of choices that we have made and continue to make. This true in every aspect of our lives.
In our personal lives people to often bemoan the life situation that they are in by blaming everyone and everything else in their lives. The reason why they don’t live in a bigger house? The bank wouldn’t give me a loan. No new car? The dealer wouldn’t give me a good enough deal. Why is my marriage failing? My spouse is the problem. Why are my kids a mess? It’s the schools fault. It is this type of thinking that is killing us as a society. It seems as though no one assigns blame to themselves for the trouble that they may be having.
Sophocles said that “It is a painful thing to look at your own trouble and know that you yourself and no one else has made it.” A truer statement could not be made. We live in a society today where it is ok to not accept responsibility for anything. Unfortunately this type of behavior starts all the way at the top. Our President has spent the last seven years blaming the previous administration for every single failure during his term. What are we to think when the President of the United States can’t even take responsibility for anything that he has done? Since he does it, why shouldn’t we?
At work we hear the same mantra:
“It wasn’t my fault.”
“I can’t do that because it won’t work.”
“What do you expect me to do, the administration tells us what to do.”
“They have always done it that way.”
“They expect to much from us.”
When was the last time that you actually heard someone say, “I messed up and I will accept the consequences for what I have done”? I would venture to guess that it is probably not in the recent past. This is a societal issue that needs to be addressed and until we do we will continue to sink lower and lower as a people. This runs across all ethnic lines and income levels.
For those of us getting older, time is running out. For you folks who are younger and yet again much younger, consider making a change in your life that could not only produce better results for you, but would certainly make you happier. What is it that we can do to produce change in ourselves?
First, don’t think that you are entitled to anything. If you want something, go out and earn it. Here’s a shocker-you can’t afford it? Guess what? You can’t have it! Hard work has never killed anyone. Our society is riddled with those who believe that due to their circumstances, they are owed something. Not true. Ken Keyes jr. said that “you are not responsible for the programming that you picked up in childhood. However, as an adult, you are one hundred percent responsible for fixing it.”
Second, If you spend all of your time blaming others for your problems, they will never change. Accepting responsibility for what you have done empowers you and allows you to change things that may occur in the future. You won’t be relying on others to change to help improve your situation. If you want change, you have to be the one to make it happen.
Lastly, I refer you to the quote at the top of this blog. “Cut the crap and stop whining. Put your big boy pants on and suck it up.” Do I really need to say anything else?
Some other quotes to think about as you choose the path to change::
“The victim mindset dilutes the human potential. By not accepting responsibility for our circumstances , we greatly reduce our power to change them.” -Steve Maraboli
“This is your life. You are responsible for it. You will not live forever. Don’t wait.” -Natalie Goldberg
“Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.” -Erica Jong
Eventually we all have to accept full and total responsibility for our actions, everything we have done, and have not done.” -Hubert Selby jr.
Anthony’s Nose vs. Technology
“It was my letting go that gave me a better hold.”
When I was out hiking several weeks ago, I had some time to think about how my attitude towards technology at work and my home life overall had changed over the course of the last several years. Since I have hiked the familiar trail to Anthony’s Nose countless times, I was once again afforded the opportunity to let my mind wander since I didn’t have to really worry about getting lost. As days go it was one of the better ones that we had seen in quite a few weeks. Cooler temperatures, no humidity and a light breeze made for perfect hiking conditions.
As I strapped my pack on and tightened the laces on my boots, I hoped that I wouldn’t see to many people on my journey. It’s not that I am anti social, but there are times when the need to be alone with your thoughts takes precedence over everything else. Why you may ask? It’s really pretty simple.
We live in a world that is dominated by the technology around us. I know that in my house you have the tv, computer, telephone, cell phones and ipods.We can’t even escape this deluge in our cars. It seems as though someone is looking at or listening to something twenty four hours a day. I know many people of my generation who grew up without this 24/7 technological onslaught feel overwhelmed, at times, by the sheer volume of everything that is being directed at us. Every aspect of our lives is controlled by our use of technology.
Think about it. When was the last time that you saw something positive on the news? I know, I can’t either. It doesn’t happen. Death, corruption, destruction, child molesters, fires, car accidents. It’s all negative and it is hurting each and every one of us.
Why does this matter? Up until about three years ago, I felt that if I didn’t check my work e-mail at home, or my personal e-mail ten times a day, I would be missing something. I especially felt this at work over breaks and during the summer.
And please don’t ask about Facebook. When I first joined Facebook I felt the need to comment on just about everything that was written. I would get into lengthy arguments with people who I disagreed with, especially in regards to politics. Over the course of the last year, I have tended to pick and choose what I respond to. Unfortunately, many people feel the need to focus on the negative and can not engage in any type of healthy and productive debate.
I would actually get angry over the stupidity that I saw and it just seemed like an awful waste of energy.
This led to my recent decision to not respond to Facebook posts, no matter how provocative they may be. At this point in my life it just doesn’t seem productive to engage in such incredibly pointless debates.
You may be asking, “Why is he focusing on just Facebook?” That is also a simple answer.My interactions on Facebook were the ones that were causing me the most angst and wasting an incredible amount of my time.
The need to be able to escape from our technological lives is what makes every single trip to Anthony’s Nose special. The ability to feel the earth under your feet as you walk and to be able to hear only the train whistles in the distance is, indeed, the perfect mental cleansing. Sometimes you just need to get rid of all of the crap in the attic and move forward.
Needless to say, everyone needs to take the time to disconnect and get back to the basics, at least for a little while. Is it possible to totally disconnect? Not in the 21st century. But you can reduce the amount of time that are swept up in the technological malaise.
Reid Genauer, the lead singer and lyricist of the band Assembly of Dust summed it up perfectly when he said, “Can you help me get my head on straight just a half an inch, so I can muddle on through?”
Take some time to assess where you are with all of the technology available out there and ask yourself if it is really improving your state of mind. I think you might be surprised with what you find out.
(Before anyone attacks me, I know that I am using technology to write and maintain this blog. A necessary evil….)
The Zen Hiker 