A thru hiker, Gout, had her father join here for a few days of hiking. He
arrived midday today while we were at shelter cove getting some much needed
burgers. It happens that they ended up at the same site as us and have been
talking together for a couple hours, staring out at the lake, sharing a log
for seats. I can hear tones of hushed sincerity and imagine them saying
everything they've been forgetting to say, or maybe don't say often enough.
Silhouetted by the twilight reflecting off the sparkling lake, they are
such a heartwarming scene.
I realized something this morning, well before all this, that put me in a
reflective mood and thus more than a little susceptible to sentimentality.
I saw the challenges ahead and wondered how I'll be able to fortify myself
against them. Some will push me to feel all this, all my perceived
progress, was overblown or somehow doesn't apply to real life in some
meaningful sense. How can I defend against such an insidious threat, but
for mental discipline? Well the thing about discipline is that self
discipline sucks. It always, by definition, fails when you need it most. So
not discipline, but the support and reminders of those who will be looking
out for me. I saw the importance of trusting relationships where
participants actively help the other grow, in a more ... discerning?...
light. So forgive me for indulging my sentimentality by imagining their
conversation was so heartfelt, sincere, and meaningful.
