One of my goals in starting this blog is to enable you to hike, explore, and just do with confidence. So where do I start? What is that one key to hiking? What is that piece of knowledge that unlocks the wonders of the unknown? What is that elusive element of confidence? I have no idea! There you have it. Before I’ve reached the end of my first paragraph, my secret is out. I don’t have all the answers. Please don’t leave just yet.
You see, none of us has all the answers, but we all have parts of them. It’s called experience. It’s called a cairn. A what? More importantly, how do I say it so that I don’t sound like an idiot when I try and use it in casual conversation? Because, let’s face it. That’s one of those words that we never really give a thought as to how you say it. You just gloss over it, acknowledge its existence, and never try to say it until that perfect opportunity arises to use it and then you realize mid-sentence “I have no clue how to say this word”. Relax, that’s what I’m here for. Just say “care” and put an “n” on the end. Caren…or cairn. See that! Crisis averted. Mission accomplished. *Drops mic*
Sorry, I got a little carried away there. It happens to the worst of us. Back to the cairn.

A cairn is the universal trail marker. No matter where you are, you can stack a few rocks together and proclaim to all who come after you that you were there. However, the cairn is so much more than that. Proverbs 22:28 says, “Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set.” A cairn is something a traveler sets to testify that they have been there and that it is a solid point of reference that they are on the right path. We all have a responsibility to those who have gone before us to honor that which they have endured to show us the best path to follow to reach a given destination. We all have a responsibility to those who are traveling with us to be diligent to find the cairns that mark the trail. We all have a responsibility to preserve existing cairns and build new ones as needed to guide those who will follow after. Not just on the trail to some remote arch in the deserts of Utah, but along the path of life. Remember, we’re all in this together.

Congratulations today to my son, Camden. You’ve reached that cairn called “High School Graduation.” Take a moment and revel in the accomplishment. Then look off into the horizon, find the next cairn, set your focus on it, and start moving.

Happy Trails,
Mike