The mind is an incredible creation with seemingly infinite abilities. If you don’t want to put it to work or use it too little, it will take off on its own adventure. It has an amazing and seemingly infinite ability to entertain itself.
While enjoying the views with you and taking care of your needs, out of the blue it decides it wants to listen to some tunes. You aren’t asked permission first, which under the circumstances would clearly be considerate as you have to listen to it, but it offers you no control over the music selection, volume or number of replays. The replays are the worst even though some of the songs are the dumbest!
I’d try so many tricks to try to stop the replays. I’d talk out loud, count sheep, sing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” talk to fellow hikers, whistle, play “I Spy with My Little Eye.” My mind would just laugh and remind me who was in charge by pushing the replay button… “again!”
This whole situation reminded me of when I’d read books to our kids when they were toddlers. “Read it again daddy! Read it again!” (Again, for the umpteenth time.) I couldn’t trick them away from the book or to a new book either, or even abbreviate the story. “No daddy, it says now…” or “Daddy, you forgot the part where…” or more often than not, “Stop daddy, and read the story right!”
I’m afraid you’re stuck with the song replays. I know of no cure, except for possibly a huge plate of town food.
The mind spends “a lot” of time thinking about food as well! Not food in general, but specific foods. Not the food you are packing, but food out there somewhere miles away from you. It wants “town food” or “trail angel food.”
The mind stresses and strains using all of its telepathic prowess to have trail angel, Fresh Ground, set up at the next road crossing.
If you pass another AT hiker coming from the opposite direction and he or she tells you there is a trail angel 15 miles ahead of you cooking burgers, you will lay down 15 of the fastest miles for the day. Even if it’s late afternoon!
Some days, all you can think about are one-pound hamburgers with two helpings of fries and at least one dessert. On other days its pizza, or steak, a sub, donuts, ice cream, pie, or whatever. Your mind drives you crazy with mind pictures that you can see and smell but not taste!
Your mind begins telling you things like, “Look, at the next road crossing we would only have to walk 15 ½ miles to this restaurant! Who cares if it is all uphill!” Or “So what if the shuttle is going to cost you $40 bucks one way, just think of all that grease waiting for your taste buds to enjoy! Just pay the man!” Or “Even if your tramily wants to stay on the trail, you would be able to catch up in a week or so!” Or “I thought you came on this hike to have a carefree adventure? Food is a big part of the adventure! Remember you can eat all you want now! Don’t be such a party-pooper. Take the time to enjoy the whole adventure!”
On these days, no matter how many times you say, “No,” the mind will come up with another excuse why you should say, “Yes.” “Come on,” it will say, “you know you want to… What’s left to discuss?”
There were plenty of times I relented and said, “Yes,” like the time above, but there were also times I was a party-pooper and said, “No,” usually because of a goal.
I finished my Appalachian Trail (AT) hike in 2019. To my surprise, one of the things I find myself reminiscing a lot about is the food I ate along the way!
I remember how much I was craving it, how much the effort getting there was worth it, how fantastic it tasted, the third meal I bought for later, the people I ate with and/or met, the encouragement it provided, the relaxation I enjoyed, the laughter we shared, the physical and emotional empowerment I felt when I left.
I can’t say I ever remember leaving a food establishment with a frown on my face. Just the opposite. I “loved” those food comas!
Thinking of this causes me to regret being more goal conscious than adventure conscious at times.
I should have listened to God’s counsel more in Ecclesiastes 5:18–19, Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. 19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
I let some of those food gifts, as well as other gifts slip through my fingers along the AT. Goals are good to have, necessary even for a productive and fulfilling life. But when the goal becomes everything, it is good to remember that it can only reward you with the potential it promises, not what life in its abundance offers.
I tend to be a very goal orientated person, and it is easy for me to take a back seat to my goals, allowing them to drive me rather than me using them to assist me.
Hiking the AT is an adventure bonanza. Getting from A to B isn’t the only adventure it offers. In between A and B it is chock-full of adventurous opportunities.
In some ways, I opted for the basics package rather than the premium or especially the deluxe one. Certainly time, expenses, circumstances, health and such legitimately enter into our ability to accept some of the available packages our daily AT adventure offers. But I know I should have been more thoughtful and cautious when I turned down an adventure option my mind brought to my attention.
You hear repeatedly on the AT, “Hike ‘your’ hike, not someone else’s.”
So what if someone says, “I could never do that and claim I hiked the AT.” So what if someone says, “Where’s your focus?” So what if someone says, “I thought you came to the AT to get away from civilization.” So what if someone says whatever! If you see an adventure that is interesting to you, take the time to seriously consider it. This is “your” hiking package you are putting together. “You” are the one paying for it and putting your time and energy into it. Own it!
Just remember though, not all adventures are spiritually healthy adventures. God encourages and warns us about our adventures in Ecclesiastes 11:9, Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.
While being open and thoughtful about selecting adventures from the gamut of options offered along the AT or life in general, we should also be wise concerning the spiritual aspects of each adventure.
Some adventures come with some fine print that can turn sour further down the trail and undermine our hike and life rather than complement it.
So, when we get up another day to go out and pound the dirt, or mud, or even wade through the water washing away our dirt and mud, it is very likely that our mind is going to alert us to some adventurous options (whether on or off the trail).
There are times when our mind is just being a nuisance, like with all the dumb song replays, but there are other times it is just pointing out some valid and worthy options to expand and upgrade our adventure.
It’s up to each of us to recognize those that are good and fill our AT or life package plan with as much or as little as we want.
Have goals but keep them out of the driver’s seat. Use them to assist you, not enslave you.
Faith Aids 