"Story"

How do you live your life? Are you a creature of habit? Do you live each day the same? Do you have a fixed routine that irritates you if you get off schedule? Or do you try to mix things up? Do you take opportunities that are presented to you and go with them adding some zing to your life?

One of the most interesting books I have read recently was a Donald Miller book called "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years". If you are a creature of habit and think it is too late for you to do something; pick up a copy and read it. I think you will find, just as Miller did, that it is not too late.

He was like most of us. If we had to write a book about our lives, could anybody read it without nodding off? Or would it captivate an audience? Here is the cool part, you only have please a one person audience. He reached the point where he started living as if he was in a story. He started taking some simple chances. He started accepting invitations to do things out of his comfort zone (the couch). He joined a gym. He took a hike in Peru.

It reminds of time when my father finished reading "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson. Dad gave it to my brother and me. He said it was the funniest book he had ever read. The book is about one of Americas greatest forgotten adventures, the Appalachian Trail (AT). A 2100 mile walking trail that stretches from Georgia to Maine. How is a book like that funny? Bryson, at the time, was middle aged and out of shape with no outdoor experience. I can only assume Bryson had a similar experience as Miller. He got up off the couch and decided to experience life. What could be difficult about a walking trail?

Before we could finish the book my brother and I were being prodded by our father. "Hey you two want to hike the Appalachian Trail? I have done some checking and there is a hostel in Dahlonaga, GA. We can park the cars there which is safer than on the side of the road. We can get a bunk bed room for $15 per person. It includes breakfast before taking off on the trail. It includes the use of a shower when you come off the trail before getting back in your car to go home. Plus for another $15 they will shuttle us to and from the trail head. We can go for a weekend or a week. I think it will be great. We have tents and sleeping bags. All we need is some backpacks and food."

Excitement is contagious. Just like that, we started one of our own stories.

[Sure I will tell you about it...read those two books I mentioned while I condense our AT story down to fit on this blog.]