Random Thoughts from Patchouli

I know that I should update this blog.  Trouble is, I don't know what to write about.  My mind is quite full of many random pieces of information that haven't been fully processed, nor do they have a logical order or reasoning to all the thoughts.  So, what to write about?  Here's just a list of random thoughts in no particular order...

1.  I've learned to pee standing up and without taking off my pack.  This saves a great deal of time and is much easier on the knees.  It also helps with privacy on the trail.  However, I've also learned to verify wind direction and velocity on the summits.

2.  I've learned that guys on the trail are really randy, and they really don't mind if I'm 15-20 years older than them.  Huh.  Don't worry.  I will not Mrs. Robinson any of them.  Thankfully, they are also gentlemen enough to simply make randy comments - not to actually do anything too bad.

3.  There are two basic kinds of folks on the Trail - those that have a really deep running faith in Christ, and those that like to mock Christianity.  It's been surprising to see just how much people hate Christians and church.  Most of the Trail Magic is done by churches, and they don't preach - they just give out food, drinks, and usually have a few bibles or other things in case someone wants to sneak something like that into their pack.  It intrigues me that people who hate church will eat their food that they offer, then mock or harass them.  It saddens me - not because people don't like Christians, but that they say they stand for love, peace, harmony, etc.  and yet they seem to have this one place they feel they can discriminate, put down, mock... and they don't see any sort of inconsistency in that.

4.  There was a death on the Trail.  A guy I had hiked with and talked to in a few different places was found dead in town.  News of it spread up and down the Trail, but no one actually knows any details of how he died.  I remember talking to this guy about his faith, about his dreams, about his kid, about his mom, and why he was out on the Trail a few weeks ago.  It's a strange feeling to have known someone for such a short time and yet to know some deeper things about him, and then to find out suddenly that he is gone.  And I have no idea where he might be now.  I can't quite define that feeling.  It's not quite grief, not quite belief, and not quite numb.  It's just somewhat surreal. 

5.  There's a quote I saw on a bumper sticker on a 'hiker trash' shuttle (we're all called hiker trash - it's a compliment, really).  Red Beard said in 2008: "The AT is the most fun you'll ever have... interrupted by long walks in the woods."  So true.  All this time in solitude on the Trail, just trudging one foot in front of the other... just to get to the next shelter or town where you can unload all that solitude into social contact and verbal processing... and usually a lot of tobacco, weed, swearing, belching, and all sorts of other ill-mannered behavior. 

6.  I'm learning I have no idea how to be an oasis to anyone.  I'm attempting a new tactic.  I'm just going to hike my own hike.  To simply be. And if God uses that... so be it.  I'll spend my time "alone" thinking on whatever God gives me to think about.  And the social contact will simply be used as that, and if God uses that, then so be it.  I'll keep looking for opportunity... that's just my nature.  But I think I will not keep pestering myself and God about how I can always be that oasis for others.  Maybe I can just offer friendship - both to God and to others.  Here's my current worship song to God that I'm singing in my time of solitude: "Try not to get worried, try not to turn onto problems that surround you, oh, everything's alright, yes, everything's fine.  And I want you to sleep well tonight.  Let the world turn without you tonight."  It's from Jesus Christ Superstar - Mary Magdalene sings it to Jesus.  I think, rather than pestering God about what I can do for Him, I'll just let him know He can just relax, and I won't ask Him for much.  He can just hang out with me on the Trail. 

OK, I guess that's enough randomness for now.