You may not know it, you may have never hiked, backpacked or even wore a backpack, but you are a backpacker. Maybe not the 10 mile a day backcountry type, but we all carry something in common, a load or a burden.

A load is something you carry willingly. It may get heavy at times, but you carry it. A burden is more difficult to carry. It can weigh you down, making your trip or life less enjoyable.

Your fundamental needs become obvious out on the trail. You need water, food and shelter. Anything else is a desire or a luxury. Today we have so many luxuries that we “need” and couldn’t live without them. Guess what, you can.

My first overnight trip I was loaded with everything I “needed”, to the tune of 60+ pounds. I was prepared for anything. I carried a first aid kit that had everything but a defibrillator. Batteries are heavy! It didn’t take long to realize I had taken on more than I should have. Each trip afterwards I packed smarter and learned that comfort comes from within, not what you can carry. My last trip (I didn’t know it at the time) my pack weighed in around 45 pounds for a 4 day, 3 night hike. My burden was manageable.

It is easy to get trapped by the constant bombardment of marketing from big business, telling you what you “need” and how to live. They define success and happiness. They become successful and happy and you get stuck with carrying the load. If you are not careful the load becomes a burden that can crush you at the slightest misstep.

When you are young and inexperienced you load up, unknowingly putting yourself at risk. But you comfortably carry your weight with the ability to help others. As you get older, you recognize the risk in being overloaded. The load gets heavier and harder to carry. To avoid the load turning into a burden, you must pack and carry smarter. Eventually there comes a time when you have to leave some things behind to lighten your load. Acknowledging when to lay your burden down can be difficult, but can be a lifesaver. Applying this to living with ALS, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease, has helped me outlive 90% of people with ALS. This is what backpacking teaches you, pack smart, simplify and lay your burden down. Life is good, enjoy it!

Barry Coughlin