Guiding is awesome! We spend hours in the woods, on the mountains, doing what we love, serving people that want to be there; people having one of their best days possible, one that they’ll always remember. Unlike, by contrast, serving impatient, even angry people standing in a never-moving line at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
In those hours we are able to have deep conversations about all manner of things. Getting to actually know one another. Jokes are told, stories are shared, subjects are taught, lessons are learned, and memories and lasting friendships are formed. We usually steer clear of the taboo subjects involving religion and politics — but not always. Sometimes, after the walls have come crumbling down, we are able to go there. On this Mt Washington hike, led by Redline Guide Mike Maciel, talk of Gods and Goddesses happened.
Part of the conversation is quite understandable as our guest from New Jersey was in one of the Twin Towers during 9/11. Living through that hell can change a person. Just food for thought. Before we get to the photos, though, Mike wanted to share the following…
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a theologian and an agnostic hiking guide walk into the woods…
He talks about church as I take him to mine… and he tells me about God while I introduce him to the Mountain Goddess. I ask him some hard questions, he promises to come back next year with better answers. Our conversation is respectful, and enjoyed, and left to be continued on a future adventure.
It was not what I expected. F-bombs and Bible-study. And 3.5 hours to the summit. —Mike M.
