It must have been when I was three. That sounds right.
A chubby little me, sitting on my mom's lap on our Nashvillie porch. Staring out at the stars, my mom drinking strong and sweet tea, and me sipping apple juice. I was easily fascinated by the lightning bugs, giggling as their little butts flashed on and off. Mom was humming softly, I'm not sure what it was. The mood was set, and at that moment, I knew.
I wanted to walk across america.
Just kidding.
This wasn't a dream of mine, to walk across the United States. It had never crossed my mind.
I remember talking to Matt in August of 2006, and he mentioned his and Lauren's idea. "What?" I said. "What are you talking about, walking across America?"
And he told me, and later in the month, Jonathan, Lauren, Matt and I sat in a parking lot near school and prayed. We prayed about a number of things, but the one that I remember the most is us praying for a fourth person for what was, at that time, their walk. As we sat in a circle, hands joined, all I could think of was "IT'S ME! I'm the fourth person!! ME! ME! ME!"
The entire semester went by, and it seemed I was wrong. I thought, perhaps, it could be me, but no one asked. I didn't have the courage to invite myself on a project they were all so devoted to. I started to think of studying abroad. Where would I go? What country would I visit? Who would I go with?
In January, as I agonized over my decision to study abroad, 3 people with 6 stinky feet approached me and asked me to go with them. It took another month of thinking, praying and searching before I decided.
It was never that my heart wasn't in it, that I wasn't passionate about going and taking this journey, meeting new people and changing lives as well as having mine changed. It was a question of is this for me, and for me now. And it is.
I'm walking across the United States, with three amazing people, and we're going to do amazing things...just you wait.
On the Oregon Trail
Lauren, Katelyn, Matt and Jonathan
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3 comments:
I am so excited for all of you! I don't even know where to begin!!! What can I do to help?!?!?!
Many moons ago, my husband Dave and I heard about a young man, about our age, who was leaving our native New York state to walk across the country; Peter Jenkins, on his first walking trip, which fueled his book and changed his life. We thought, "Wow, what a terrific thing to do! That's amazing. We wish we had that kind of courage" -- or whatever it took to undertake such a project.
Fast forward to a few years back, when our older daughter met and worked with Jenkins' daughter, who had accompanied him on one of his later walks. Again, we wondered at what led people to walk such a different path.
So, how, I ask myself, did we suddenly move from being admiring onlookers to parents who are watching their daughter venture forth with her 3 friends to do this very thing? And furthermore, we give our blessings, and support, and prayers that the four of you will have the wonderful adventure that you are seeking. It will change lives, yours and those of the people you meet.
I am glad you are journaling in addition to filming. You will be able to chart your internal growth, your internal journeys.
The mom in me says be careful -- but I know you are planning well. The rest of me says, go forth, meet our country, experience, grow, enjoy, and tell us all about it!
Hello Katelyn,
Your cousin Linda here, what an exciting adventure all of you are about to embark on. The summer of 1976 when I was 12 my mother, brother, sister and myself drove from Schenectady, NY to Las Vegas, NV and then to Grand Junction, CO. Our car was old and not in very good shape, we were hauling a small trailer with all that we owned and had no idea what the future held. The days were spent on the road reading in the back seat of the car, this was before seat belts, so we sprawled all over the seat and curled up on the floor of the car,treating it as our own fort. The two big memories I have are:
1) The HEAT! We were driving through the desert without air conditioning and in a car that overheated every few miles from the stress of hauling that trailer in the heat. So bring WATER, you will need it!!
2) The people, the further west we moved the nicer the people were. Everyone we met was friendly and helpful. When we would be sitting on the side of the road, in the desert, waiting for the car to cool off, people would stop to help. I remember once, three different cars stopped at the same time, all making us take their water for the radiator. Everyone was so concerned about us being stuck. Also everyone carried water in their cars, see above!
Enjoy this wonderful experience, you are just the right age for it. Strength and energy at their peak for the marathon of walking you are planning. Also you are early enough in your life to not have responsibility's that root you to home. You will remember and love this time forever. Have fun and keep writing. Linda
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