It was a normal resupply day on the Appalachian Trail (AT) during the 2021 season and I was with two of my favorite trail-mates AKA and Owlbear. We usually lived one 5-day supply to the next between towns, but we found out through the hiker grapevine there was a hostel not far off trail just 2.5 days away. Perfect. We only had to load up a half supply of food.

2.5 days later we arrived at the hostel around mid-day with plans to resupply and continue on our hike. But once we arrived at the Hiker Hut cabin we were sucked into its “good energy vortex”. I mean, the owner Steve made us grilled cheese … how could we not stay all day.

The rooms at the hostel were all booked, but there was a shelter only a mile up trail so we kicked back and spent the rest of the day eating and hanging out with all the legitimate hostel stayers as well as Steve. We enjoyed our time of relaxation – these experiences are what the trail is all about.

I got to talking to Steve and he asked, “What grand adventure is next on your list?” I talked to him about maybe trying to head over to India to start yoga teacher training. He tilted his head and shot me a sly grin. Steve told me he had lived in India for 18 years before buying this very cabin in the mountains. Little did he know he was about to be pounded with questions.

I started with the question I get most often, “Is it safe?” Steve emphatically stated, “Yes, it’s safe. I lived there a long time. If it wasn’t safe, I would not have stayed.” He then looked me up and down and followed by saying, “But, you know, I’m not a pretty young woman either. You need to be careful wherever you go and India is no exception.”

I was so thankful for his candor (and for calling me pretty). When I first started thinking seriously about traveling at the end of high school, the most common response when I shared my thoughts was essentially, “You’re going to die if you leave Ohio!” I learned early on to keep my plans to myself, but the trail had proven repeatedly that silence was no longer necessary.

I told Steve I appreciated his advice because I have found ‘most’ don’t understand why I want to go to India. Steve followed up with more advice gold, “Well, ‘most’ haven’t been there. Don’t get me wrong, India can be an ugly country at times, but so can the US. It just looks different.” We spent the next hour talking about seemingly everything in our lives when he stood up and went into his house. He came out with a jewelry box and said, “These are my favorite pieces from India and I want you to have one.” I thanked him for his kindness, but told him I could not accept such a meaningful gift. He retorted back, “Nonsense! Pick your favorite.”

A circled gem caught my eye immediately. It was clear with the Om sign in the middle. I had no idea the meaning of the Om sign, but for some reason it spoke to me. I later found out during yoga training the Om sign represents the union of the mind, spirit, and body. I accepted his gracious gift and put it on the necklace my grandmother had given to me when I was 17. She had the same necklace and bought them both when I was born.

I left the hostel with the gem as well as the afterglow of the incredible connection with Steve. On our 1 mile walk to the shelter I reflected on the experience. I now felt more than just ambition to go to India. I felt like this encounter was a sign that I NEEDED to go to India. Yep, the decision had been made. India was now on my “sure thing” list.

Fast forward one year. I had finished the Appalachian trail, spent a few months at home working, and was about a quarter of the way through the Continental Divide Trail during the 2022 season. India was still on my “sure thing” list, but my talk with Steve was filed away with the many connections I had experienced over the previous year.

I was somewhere near the end of Colorado with a group of about 10. We were walking in a line and doing the normal conversation – oscillating from small talk to deep contemplations. I had on my jacket and started sweating so I stopped to take it off. Just as I pulled it off, I could feel my necklace break. I tried to catch it, but it was too late and it was on the ground. I could only see the chain, but my 2 gems (the one from Steve and the one from my grandmother) were gone. I felt sensations of panic start all over my body.

I stopped and started my search. I was able to find my grandmother’s gem, but Steve’s was gone. I kept flipping my jacket inside out and back repeatedly and spent about 15 minutes with the help of the hiking crew looking for my Om gem, but it was gone. I knew a difficult section of the hike was coming up and I also knew my hiking group would not leave me behind. I didn’t want to hold them up.

I took a deep breathe and said to myself, “It doesn’t matter. It’s just a material object. You still have the memory of the necklace and that’s all that matters.” I stopped searching and put my jacket in my bag and continued on with the hike. I felt incredible sadness, but surprisingly also felt an incredible release to be able to let go of something I thought was so important to me. I didn’t need the physical item in my possession for it to retain sincere meaning.

When we hit our next town a couple days later I booked my yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India at the lovely Rishikesh Vinyasa Yoga School for September 2022. I bought a one-way flight and it was done. Maybe I needed to lose my symbol for the trip in order for me to remember it’s importance. I had been talking about going to India for a year, but it was when I did not have the convenient reminder that the energy to take the next step became overwhelming. It was time to take action.

In so many ways I was ready to start exploring a new and very foreign culture. I was ready to let go of those things that had become familiar. One of the biggest parts of myself I wanted to change was my constant drive by FOMO (fear of missing out). India and the people I was able to surround myself with taught me the importance of being present and to just love where you are and the people you choose to be with. This presence was the energy Steve gave me way back on the Appalachian Trail. He was not only kind, he was invested in our conversation.

India brought my journey which started with Steve full circle. During my very last day in India I was out on the streets with a couple friends looking for post cards. India is a busy place and when I was trying to get out of the way of people trying to get by, I tripped over a basket at the shop. I immediately started apologizing to the shop owner and bent down to pick up the contents of the basket. This basket I knocked over on my last day in India was full of clear circle Om gems exactly like the one Steve had given me on that day at his hostel. I bought 3 of them.

I quickly put one on my necklace, I gave one to my mother because she has heard all my hopes, dreams, and stories without judgment, and I also gave one to my grandmother so we could share a gem yet again.

Even though the gem had incredible meaning from the beginning, it was losing the gem that was most powerful. Finding the replacement on the last day just told me yet again, “The trail always provides.”