Category: Uncategorized
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Benefits of a Broken Foot
I’ve mentioned a number of times how I have worked to lean into difficult situations and cultivate curiosity about what new things will come my way as a result of change. I have shared in other posts how hiking the Florida Trail with a broken foot opened a door for me to meet many people…
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Tipping point
I think almost every thru hiker, especially if they have more than one long trail under their feet, have moments of wondering why they continue on. There are days of inclement weather when it is physically painful to be outside. Sometimes rocky, wet or scary trail conditions make hikers wonder why they’re bothering. Loneliness is…
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Change
I found myself thinking about change as I walked along the ever-changing Florida Trail. I’ve walked through a variety of ecosystems including cypress swamps, titi swamps, palm forests, dry sandy pine forests and prairies. When I started the Florida Trail in January, even though it didn’t feel like winter to me, it WAS the heart…
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Protection
As I’ve been hiking the Florida Trail with a broken foot, I’ve been thinking a lot about protection. At first I needed to protect my foot in an orthopedic boot and use crutches. After about 400 miles of wearing the orthopedic boot, it seemed any benefit I it was giving was no longer worth the…
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Scarcity
Thinking about gift economies got me remembering how I struggled with feelings of scarcity for much of my life. Years ago I learned these feelings came from childhood experiences, and I worked to repair them. Unfortunately, they came flooding back with a vengeance when my husband walked out leaving seven dollars in our bank account.…
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Gift Economy
It might seem strange, but hiking the Florida Trail with a broken foot has led me to think about capitalism versus gift economies. Traditional capitalism relies on scarcity. If something is scarce it has value and people will pay to buy it. As a result, it benefits some people to hoard resources or even to…
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The Unseen
I talked last time about identity and crutches, mentioning I didn’t want to identify with my crutches as a way to feel more unique or important. On one of my first days hiking without the crutches, it seemed the universe was going to help me make the transition. As I was walking down the trail…
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Identity and crutches
I’ve been thinking about identity lately. Having grown up with serious post traumatic stress and dissociated parts I had a hard time knowing who I was. I was teased a lot as a child, never feeling part of any group. I had no real friends and to protect my sanity, I learned to hide. I…
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Crutches Part Two
450 miles of hiking with crutches means there’s bound to be more than one blog written about them! So bear with me as I expound on more of my thoughts on crutches. I believe all the crutches I’ve used in my life have helped me in someway. But using them came with a price. Some…
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Trail Fest and Crutches
I’ve walked over 400 miles of the Florida Trail using crutches, so it’s no wonder I’ve been thinking about the different types of crutches I’ve used to get through life. In early childhood I used dissociation and created alternate parts to deal with abusive situations the rest of me couldn’t handle. I also erected walls…
The Mary Badass 