Gaps … Realities (part 1 of 4)

What is it about consistency that we find so appealing. We don’t want breaks in our system. We don’t like holes or missing pieces. No matter how much we try to avoid them, prevent them, or go around them, gaps exist.

Gaps. The more we look around, the more we see them. Simple gaps – like that little air space between teeth. Frustrating gaps – like cell coverage when traveling backroads or mountain byways. Quizzical gaps – like missing dates on employment records on a resume. Annoying gaps – like dead air on streaming or radio broadcasts.

And unfortunately, one of the most annoying gaps I am dealing with due to my age – memory gaps. To be fair, most of my problems are not memory gaps as much as attention span gaps. As I often say, I don’t just see and cry “SQUIRREL,” I go looking for them.

Back to the realities of gaps. Sometimes, I go hiking and hit a part of a trail that is not on the trail map, a gap in information. What did I learn about these gaps?

First … Don’t let gaps stop your progress

Now, this is not the policy if you get lost and you have people looking for you. That’s different, and maybe I’ll get to that later in the week. But today, a gap in a map, a gap in the directional instructions, should not be a cause to stop completely. Examine and consider what you do have, where you came from, and where you are headed. Use tools that you might have (a compass, your knowledge of surrounding landmarks, etc) and make an informed decision and move forward. To do otherwise just leaves you paralyzed and stuck.

You might have to evaluate your decision, and even retrace to redirect. But do’t let gaps stop your progress.

Second … Use the opportunity to explore

Some of my best trail moments are the off the trail, exploring the more natural areas. Sometimes it happens due to a gap in the map, sometimes it’s due to my own stupidity, and others it’s planned and I have an intentional goal.

Gap in the map … I need to get from point A to point B but the map doesn’t show a path, so I head out directly. Maybe blazing a new trail, maybe discovering an undocumented trail, or just enjoying the honing of my directional skills.
My own stupidity … my first time up Spy Rock, years ago before better trail markings, I scrambled up a side and marked my ascent by a bandana so I would know where to descend. However, someone took my bandana while I was enjoying the view atop Spy Rock apex. So I headed down where I thought I was supposed to go – only to continue another mile, downhill, through the thistles, ripping my attire, and finally making my way to a marked part of the trail system.
Planned adventure into a gap … there is a little excursion of Sharp Top trail in the Peaks of Otter mountain, The excursion takes you to the scene of the location of tragedy that took place one evening during the war years of the 1940s, where a training B-52 flight disastrously crashed into the mountain side. Most of the plane has been removed, but the USAF has placed a memorial plaque with the names. Note: it took two attempts to find this spot, the gap wasn’t easy to overcome, but it was worth it.

You can still see a wing and an engine along with a variety of scrap scattered over the mountain side. This is a great adventure and has a true moment of discovery, albeit solemn.

Third … Share your discovery

Maybe during the gap adventure, you learn some pros and cons, things to avoid and things of which one should pay attention. Take these learning tidbits and fill in the gaps for those who might follow you. Don’t just get through the gap, share your newly gained wisdom with others.

Three lessons from a gap in a trail map. What more lessons are out there?

As I ponder gaps, I am realizing there are so many ways to look at them and lessons to learn. In the next few days, let’s explore these gaps together.