Twin takes on the Trail

As my brother approaches half a year of hiking through the wilderness of the Appalachian Trail I figured I do some reading on the journey myself. Often I think back to the wonderful opportunity I had to hike for the two weeks with Dr. Redick and the class in the summer time. However, it boggles my mind to think of the five and half month journey my brother will do starting this June. Part of me is jealous, another part of me thinks this will be a scary wild time for him and his friend that will accompany him in the journey. Since man is a holistic being, we are able to operate on three planes. The physical, psychological and the spiritual. The two of them will for sure be bombarded with the physical dimension of the trip, no doubt of it. In addition they will experience other dimensions perhaps more profound. Since hiking address the whole being they will be moving their bodies but they will also experience tremendous psychological and spiritual growth. They will be able to experience a communion with their own conception of the spiritual nature that while not impossible, is difficult to achieve in the every day of the “marketplace”. My hopes for them are great as they deny themselves and begin to think through the transitions that come after college.