Life is a trek
I’ve learned a lot more about life through physical activities and sports than 20 years of formal education.
Out of all, trekking has offered me the deepest lessons - those long journeys, carried on foot, across mountains, valleys, rivers and other extensive terrains.
You carry a heavy load of bag with everything you’ll need on your journey - for food, clothing, and shelter. As you pack, you ruthlessly cut down the weight by evaluating every extra sweater, each piece of snack, and tool. With experience, you realise that each item that you keep or discard shapes the experience you have, teaching truly what matters the most. Keep what serves you; shed what weighs you down.
Uphill and downhill, back and forth.
Sunshine then rain, as clouds play games.
Wet and slippery paths turn rocky and dry.
Sometimes windy as can be, sometimes unbearably hot.
Out in the wild, unexpected weather changes are to be very much expected, and you have to embrace it all. All things are not a delicious slice of a fresh banoffee pie, sometimes humbling as a cold pizza, mostly simple as just rice and veggies. Here lies the trail’s wisdom: plan thoroughly, but welcome uncertainty.
For all the walking and climbing, no one takes the steps for you. A passerby might show you the way, but won’t walk the entire path. Each step is yours to choose—on any rock you like, with your own careful foot placement. You set up your own tent and pack it the next morning. You take breaks when you need them. You enjoy what catches your eye, not someone else’s. Feeling tired? There’s no one to push you forward; you push yourself. Own lane, own race, own pace.
No one cares how much your bag weighs, how tired or energetic you feel, how warm your jacket is, or what snacks you carry. They just enjoy the trek, fully present and appreciative. There’s no room for envy, or fomo.
Activities like running, walking, working out, hiking without distractions force you to think. It’s just you and your thoughts. When running within your happy stamina, your mind wanders freely. You think about the goals, dreams, life plans and cherished moments. With time, as the energy fades - the fight with your mind starts. You start doubting yourself, questioning your choices, seeking comfort and the thought of stopping grows louder and louder. But pushing through this mental barrier reveals your true strength - not in your legs, but in your will.
These patterns apply to all hard things in life. Painting, cleaning your room, and drawing are all similarly meditative. The more you meditate, the more you understand yourself, and your patterns.
Many other analogies could be drawn from such activities, but listing them all here would just defy the point I’m trying to make. You learn best on the ground, by doing things yourself—not by reading about them.
Go for that trek, do the run, make the hard choice. The greatest lessons await in the doing.
