Willing to Trudge

Recently, I picked up Bill Bryson’s book, A Walk in the Woods. This book chronicles his adventure of walking the Appalachian Trail back in 1996.  Though I’ve never undertaken such a long and arduous walk as he wrote about, I have slung a backpack onto my shoulders and trudged down trails in the wilderness. Consequently, I can relate to Bryson’s words when he writes, “All that is required is a willingness to trudge.” 

One summer, a friend of mine invited me to take a few weekend backpacking excursions with her. These excursions were her “warm ups” to the longer trips she always slated for her two week vacations from work.

My friend was savvy with maps and a seasoned backpacker so I trusted her guidance. She was also very well versed about the wilderness and neither arrogant or afraid. With her as my guide and hiking companion, I discovered that the wilderness has its own kind of offerings and trudging along pathways far from civilization led to remarkable places. One only had to be willing to trudge.

I trusted my friend’s guidance, but some of the trails we hiked were way too rock or steep. Others were a little scary. 

“Was that bear scat I just spotted?” 

“Yes, but it is old,” she’d assure me. 

Sometimes I felt like asking her, “How much longer?” but, I didn’t because I didn’t want to sound like a whiner. Even when the backpack felt too heavy and my feet screamed to be released from my boots, I’d follow her lead because after all, without trudging we’d never arrive at our destination. 

And our destinations were always worth the trudge that it took to get there; a secluded mountain lake, an undiscovered river or the very best kind, a meadow filled with wildflowers beside a lake or river. But, without the willingness to trudge, I’d never been able to take in the bountiful offering from nature. 

Benefits of Forgiveness

When I think back to that summer of backpacking, I remember both the harsh reality of steep trails, tired feet and a heavy backpack, along with feeling cool water on my skin, smelling fresh mountain air and the stars in the night sky. 

When I think back to those years when I was trudging toward forgiveness, I harbored anger, resentment and bitterness. But my trudging toward forgiveness led to releasing a heavy load, and walking on without it.  

Why Bother?

Why bother to be willing to trudge? Without the willingness to trudge toward forgiveness, we will never experience the bounty of living with forgiveness.

You can read the whole story of my journey to forgiveness in my book, A Heart’s Journey To Forgiveness found at Redemption Press and Amazon. Also, please accept my invitation to attend the next Emotional Healing Through Forgiveness© workshop on Saturday, April 26, from 4-7 p.m. at the YMCA. Click on the link and scroll down to Events. https://tereseluikens.com/workshop/