Thursday, November 16, 2006

Autumn hiking



I haven't spent a significant amount of time hiking since my high school summers at camp. I know nothing about wildlife or plantlife. And every step that I take hurts.

There have been many days when even a small hike seemed out of reach. But I'm finding now that I feel better after a good walk or hike, even if I hurt more. As anyone with constant chronic pain knows, the pain goes on and on, and medicine--of any type--provides only partial and often minimal relief. In the end, finding a way to live with pain is a personal journey. I have resolved to go on frequent hikes, to learn what I can about what I encounter, and to pour some amount of the energy I have left after a good hike into sharing my experiences and commentary on nature, pain, and the nature of pain.