AN ODE TO HIKING

By Jennifer Pharr Davis

Hiking is not Complicated. Merriam Webster calls it a walk through a natural setting.

You do not have to be a Patagonia Model or Look Outdoorsy to go outdoors.

You do not have to live near a mountain.

You do not have to hike fast or far – the trail does not care about these things.

We hike because it reminds us that our bodies are a gift and made to be in motion.

We hike to reclaim the fact that we are not separate from nature, but a part of it.

We hike to know the land and observe our environment so we can enjoy it – and be aware of what is happening to it.

We hike to create time and space for original thought and to hear our inner voice.

We hike because trails bring us together. They are a place where we can all find common ground.

We hike because we need a place to freely grieve and openly struggle. There are so many things you can’t fix. Sometime all you can do is take another step.

Hiking can be as simple or profound as you want it to be. You can refer to it as nature therapy or forest bathing, you can meditate or pray, or you can just put one foot in front of the other. The results are the same – it makes you feel better.

We hike because it takes us away from our sheltered, sedentary, screen filled lives and reveals the truth of who we are – and what we were made to do.

We are ALL hikers.