[Cdt-l] Embrace the Beauty

[Jonathan Ley]

Just wanted to send a message of good luck & best wishes to the CDT 
class of 2010. May summer come early, and stay late!

A lot is written about how the CDT can be difficult or tiring, or, 
well... brutal. But, I think it's important to remember the reason most 
of us are attracted to the CDT in the first place. It's just a dang 
amazing thing - a beautiful thing.  I consider many of the people on 
this list to be among the luckiest on the planet. It's like we know this 
deep secret, a magic that can be conjured with a million footsteps.

So, when you're out there...
Hearing the soft New Mexican earth crunch underfoot while the sun warms 
the air...
Or, feeling the wind whip through your arms while you crest over an 
alpine Colorado peak...
Or, tasting pure spring water below the spires and cliffs of the Wind 
River Range...
Or, seeing a herd of Elk rumble across a Montana meadow...
Or, listening to a glorious nightime silence as the illuminated universe 
spins overhead...

Just take a minute, be present. Take it all in. You're out there. Living 
it, doing it. Manifesting a dream. And those of us who can't be out 
there with you in the flesh, are at least there in spirit. I hope the 
trail carries you far beyond the termini into whatever lies beyond.