Mastering the Mud

There are people who actually seek out messy outdoor experiences in the mud.  Called “mudders”, they run, competing in races and obstacle courses, where the goal is to get as muddy as possible. I don’t happen to be one of them. In fact, I will go out of my way to avoid sloppy trails which require a major cleanup afterwards. On my hike from William Sullivan’s book, 100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades, however, I found that sometimes running into mud on the trail, as in life, is inevitable. But this trail to the summit of Mt. Pisgah seemed more promising of a “mudless” event than most. In my ascent, I passed a trail improvement sign that stated in bold letters, “We’re moving you out of the mud!” I thought to myself, “Now that’s just what I need in my life journey right now - less mud and clearer trails! When I arrived at the summit, I was inspired by the wrap-around vista of snow covered mountains in the distance. Feeling invigorated by the climb and energized by the beauty of the expansive scenery, I decided to take a different side trail through the woods on my descent. Exploring new trails always has its risk of the unknown - but, hey, that’s the adventure I seek! At age 72, I had made Helen Keller’s quote, “Life is a daring adventure or nothing!”, a template for my life, and today was going to be no different. You know that inevitable mud I mentioned previously - well, I was about the meet it on this newer unfinished trail I had chosen to take. As I trekked through the fern-covered woods, my hiking boots almost disappeared, as they sunk deep into the soft, wet, gooey mud. Quickly regretting my decision and wanting to move through this unpleasant choice as rapidly as possible, I stepped up on a slippery slope in order to avoid losing my boots altogether and promptly slipped and fell. Now it was not only my boots that were muddy, it was pretty much all of me!

In regaining my composure and footing, I let go of as much mud (and embarrassment) as I could and started to move more slowly down the hill. I even let go of some of my seriousness and found a little humor in my “muddiness”. After all, I might be “in the mud”, but I didn’t have to be “of the mud”! I realized that to not fall again would require greater focus and attention as to where my next step would be.When you’re in the mud, whether on the trail or in life, it is imperative that you let go of any regrets about past decisions and be fully present for each moment, as you consider each new choice carefully. With clearer insights, mixed with a little humor, from this muddy trail, I eventually made my way down safely. After completing this adventure, I arrived at my car very dirty, but still intact...and wiser! In addition to having a wonderful hike in nature, treasures were gained from the trail.