For the Long Journey

What to pack? How about God? Shoes wear out, clothes become threadbare and exuberance weakens. Only a limited amount of food and water can be carried. In relying on people, one often comes up short.

Regardless of the journey or undertaking, what does it require to take that first step into the unknown? How about, “inner-resolve”, and then more of the same; because on many journeys, it’s a strong possibility you’ll be stripped of everything but ‘that’. Inner-resolve is not loud or showy, and emanates from a place that’s deeper than marrow.

Physical necessities only get one so far. In times of consequence, it’s often the unseen attributes, the quiet knowingness of a person that are called into action. Often these qualities are unknown to those who are called upon to exhibit them, until the time of need arises.

Be it a business venture, relationship or creating a new work of art, how brave is it to take that first step into the unknown? I believe there is boldness, genius….even ‘miracles’ in ‘the first step’.

A few reminisces from travelers west…..

Paula Mitchell Marks records in her book Precious Dust, “The trek took its toll…observing the first emigrants to reach San Diego…faces from which the rigid expression of suffering was scarcely relaxed…tattered…woebegone, sorry-looking, soiled. …haggard as so many Endorean witches; burnt to the color of a hazelnut, with their hair cut short, and its gloss entirely destroyed by the alkali.”

After surviving the trails through Death Valley, L. Dow Stephens undressed to bathe and reacted with shocked dismay at his own body. I found I was nothing but a skeleton. My thighs were not larger than my arm, and my knee joints were like knots on a limb, and on my hip bone the skin was calloused as thick as a sole leather and just as hard, caused by lying on the hard ground and rocks.”

“I will never recommend the over land route to get here, for it is death to many and the next thing to death to all that come this route.” Stated one ‘49er.