In my (futile) quest to figure out the meaning of life – why we’re here and what’s the point, and more just my overall tendency to overthink EVERYTHING – there’s one thing (I think) I’ve figured out:
Life is simply a series of choices you have to make – some good, some bad, some difficult – but that’s just it – make a choice, cross your fingers and hope it all works out somehow. And I bet that if you reflect upon your life and the choices you have made so far, you will see how each choice – even the truly terrible ones – have been a necessary part of the journey to the person you are today. I have found myself facing a lot of choices as of late:
Like, now that I’m vaccinated, whether or not to rawdog it at the local grocery store.
Or choosing the mountain or trail I want to hike on.
And for this particular hike up Mount Cube, rather than choosing the path of least resistance (as I often do), I opted for the more rugged, more remote Kodak trail. At nearly double the mileage, it wasn’t easy – the day was hot and humid, and the bugs were out in full force. But the trail rewarded with gorgeous views along the way, and a fun little side quest to check out the Hexacuba – a wooded shelter for thru-hikers, backpackers and other adventurers. This hike exhausted me, but at the end I was thankful I chose the path less traveled.
Recently, I found myself at a similar crossroads as I made the decision to leave my job after a decade of service, and a pretty incredible run with some pretty incredible people along the way. The choice to leave was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make in a long time – there were many reasons to stay, but there were also many reasons to go. And while it would have been so easy to stay, nestled in the blanket of security and comfort that one can expect in the corporate world – I’m just not that kind of person, and it was time.
So, what now? And the answer is I simply don’t know. I don’t know where I’m headed to next, and if I’ll stick with my current career path or perhaps venture towards something new.
What I do know is that I’m going to take time – time to recalibrate, to reflect, to hike, to travel, to adventure, to live. Because, if nothing else, the events and circumstances of this past year have reiterated the heartbreaking truth that life is just entirely too short – and I’ve got a whole lot of living to do.
