Let’s start from the beginning.
I was named after the family cat. Yes, our Persian wonder being Sarah Lee and myself, Sarah Elizabeth. You can imagine the confusion that this created come dinner time. However, this is a story for another day.
Home is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My 42 years here have gifted me with layers, upon layers, of friendships and a thick relationship with my parents. This increasingly ecclectic city is also the home of my alma mater for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees, The University of Pittsburgh. Despite my professional background being hugely science-based as a Nurse Anesthetist, I am a medley of both right and left brain dominance. My love for creativity, the arts and adventure only rivals my very analytical mind and incessant integration of logic.
I am the Jack of all trades, master of none. An underdog of sorts. I rely on my discomfort as a guide, letting my largest fears foster my greatest growth. Said discomfort has most recently led me to something that I would’ve considered unfathomable only a few short years ago.
In 2021, at the age of 40, I resigned from gainful employment and put everything that I owned into a storage cubical.
And I hiked the Appalachian Trail in its entirety.
This footpath spans 2,193.1 miles, over 14 states, from Georgia to Maine. I initially birthed this site as a way of sharing the details of my trek with family, friends, and colleagues, but as I walked, I developed an innate adoration for writing. My sharing of my truths through my words became as big a part of my journey as the hike itself. My mind was stretched just as far as my brawn, and I evolved through publicly sharing my vulnerabilities and triumphs with anyone who would open their heart and and their mind to listen.
I am inviting you to walk with me both on the Appalachian Trail and in my journey hereafter.
- Edward Monkton