History of irina.to.stars - 4000 km Pacific Crest Trail (USA)

Having placed the description of the film "Wild" in the top of our rating, could we have assumed that in a few months we would be able to meet a Russian girl who could well be the prototype of the main character of the film (of course, with the amendment that the film "Wild" already had real prototype in the USA)?

 The acquaintance happened quite by accident at a tourist rally by a common fire, when everyone in turn began to tell their stories, one girl modestly said: “I have covered four thousand kilometers of Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)”. The story (so far in the form of diary entries) can be read on her instagram https://www.instagram.com/irina.to.stars/  We, of course, were primarily interested in initial motivations, what were the life problems that pushed a person to this the hardest way? And of course, has this journey become the turning point in life that would give a person the strength to resolve these problems? On Irina's instagram, her life story and philosophical reflections are united by the corresponding tags https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/pctmystory/  https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/pctmythinking/ .

 

Each reader can draw his own conclusions on this score, and here we will share ours with you.

Alas, but modern industrial civilization often drives people into an absolute dead end in life, completely depriving their lives of meaningful fullness ("existential vacuum" in terms of psychologist and philosopher V. Frankl). There are two ways to get out of this impasse (to be in which for a long time is destructive for a person): to step down one step or step up one step. And not so much in the intellectual as in the worldview.

In the first case (step down), a person simply suppresses the desire to understand what I am and who I am, and in the future lives according to a primitive robotic scheme. Which can be conventionally called "home - work". At the same time, he does not cease to be human and also contributes to human civilization. But the question is - is this "contribution" adequate to its strengths and capabilities? Not to mention the fact that in this way a person puts an end to his inner development.

The second way is, of course, a step upward along the path of enriching our life with that semantic content that best suits the forces and capabilities given to us by nature, as well as the knowledge gained as a result of reading books and numerous hours we spent on school benches and institutes. audiences.

And in order to make this very “step up” many (though not all) people necessarily need some kind of “tool” to break through the vicious circle of everyday life. Such a "tool" can be easily found if you look in the direction of hiking and mountain tourism, etc. - that is, all those activities that are associated with overcoming oneself, overcoming external difficulties and hardening one's own character.

This tool can be useful for many people. The only difference is that someone does not necessarily need to go 4000 km of the way, and maybe 400 km is enough to shake things up, or even 40 km is enough. Although 4 km will probably not be enough. However, they are also useful for further maintaining the tone.

Hiking, among other things, provides a good opportunity to be alone with yourself, to reflect on life. This is if you go alone. Or chat with people who may have similar motivations. This is if you go as part of a group. However, both of these possibilities can be combined. An example of which are Irina's diary entries. Although she walked the PCT alone (six months!), As she passed the route, she constantly crossed paths with different people, part of the life stories that are posted on her instagram.

Next, we will give a number of points (quotes) from Irina's story, which seemed to us to be key for understanding its essence. Although, of course, we do not pretend that we have fully reached this understanding :).

Before the PCT. Biography

• I grew up in an ordinary Soviet family, with Soviet attitudes and lack of money ... My parents gave me the best education - free mathematics ... As a child I was a downtrodden girl and the path to at least some kind of awareness was very long and arduous .. I already have an adult child - the best daughter in the world. There was a promising office job. A roof over your head, family and comfort.
• I have been working in an office for 4.5 years ... I dreamed of this kind of work for a long time, sitting on a prolonged maternity leave ... Then it was my first office job ... I grew up enough in the career ladder, received a good salary , interesting complex projects ... Probably for many - this is a dream ... but! The work did not bring pleasure specifically to me ... something was not right ... I could not understand what, but I realized that something needed to be changed ...
• At home - a relationship that has lasted for 14 years ... This is a huge period, but the further, the more I realized that we are completely different in outlook on life, in goals, in desires, in dreams ... It was hard for me to decide and leave ... family is the most sacred for me.
• We have one life and I finally have a crazy plan: I leave work - I fill the free 8 hours with what will bring pleasure, “my friends” - I rent an apartment and move with my daughter from my husband - I return back to the office ... about all 5 months ... But something went wrong ... I quit my job, moved to my apartment (even if it was rented, but my own), and I could not go back to the office to work ... not mine? thought ... what then is mine ???

What tasks did she solve on the PCT:

• I am able to bring the matter to the end (clearly set goal = result)
• I understand the value of myself
• I learn to see which goals are real at the moment
• I build my boundaries and know how to see and protect myself from addiction and manipulation
• I change my attitude to situations: to addiction, who is my environment and what is it for me, how does it affect me?
• I try to write a book to get feedback and errors cannot be transferred to the printed version
• Just writing - I am learning to structure my thoughts into words. I convey them to others and convey to the reader in the form in which they live in my head
• Collect stories "why are they on the PCT?"

PCT

• Yesterday I walked again without water, like only 9 km, but in the very heat, without wind and shadow Glitches began - I saw an evil human grinning face in the tree, everywhere I saw people instead of bushes ... the last kilometer - my mouth was dry, I could hardly move my legs ... muttered constantly: "water, water ..."
• It took me a month and a half to understand how you can move in the heat, get used to the loads and start walking at least 30 km every day ... to understand that I no longer want to wander in the desert, or at least not in the summer and not for long ... favorite mountains - I think the best part of the path for me ...
• I watch hikers: someone goes and listens to music with headphones, someone turns it on at full volume, someone hums songs himself ... I love to listen to nature ...
• Today I remembered the true attitude towards you manifests itself in difficulties ... when everything is fine with you, people are drawn to you, they want to communicate, they play with you. And as soon as trouble happens and you need help - where are all those "acquaintances"? - scored, dissolved and threw all the memories in the trash ... Games! I hate it...
• Observing others, I began to notice my own behavior ... You say one thing, but in reality you behave completely differently. I began to understand why people do not treat me the way I would like ...
• Discovery: I learned to be happy and take care of others And this is the merit of trailangel. I used to be an independent woman - never take from others, everything myself. Oh wow, this is "all by herself" But when you see the kindness from the trailangel, sincere (when nothing is asked back), then you break into a smile and accept the gift with joy, also with an open heart. Sometimes I notice in others the same problems that were in me - when I see a hiker passing by and not receiving a gift from the trailangel ... Not all trailangels are sincere, there are also strange ones and expecting a response from you (more often money). On the contrary, Bill - who treats hikers with unlimited fruit and water every day. Could this be fake? Or a woman who gave a ride to the city and did not charge for gasoline. This is a sincere concern from a pure heart. The whole attitude is felt - that's enough ...

What did you get on the PCT? Outcome

• Ability to see the world wider - there is no limit to the possibilities.
• We are all different, but we can all learn everything. Everyone has their own abilities and their own pace, but this is not an obstacle, these are just your features. Everything is decided: work, steps, aspirations, actions, luck, chance and time.
• Time is the most valuable resource, money cannot buy it.
• The past cannot be changed, it is impossible to erase what has already happened. This can only be accepted, both in yourself and in others. Realize and move on.

 

  The initial translation of this page is complete with the help of a machine translator. We apologize for any errors. Work on improving the translation continues.