This is Hassan

This is Hassan and the story of my boots. Hassan is a porter and he carried my 33 pound duffel bag up and down Mount Kilimanjaro for nine days. He welcomed me at the end of every day‘s hike to carry my day pack for the last stretch into camp. He showed me to my tent that he likely set up and never once forgot his smile, no matter if it was first thing in the morning or at the end of a long day’s trek. Every afternoon when we would arrive at my tent, he would insist on brushing off my boots and gators, removing them and making sure I was OK by way of a thumbs up or fist bump. Hassan didn’t speak much English but we had clear and wonderful communication. He is now one of my brothers and a member of my previously introduced sacred family, familia takatifu.

Hassan was one of my many heroes on this adventure. The morning of our last hike I gave him a little extra cash tip, my headlamp that I had graciously borrowed from a fellow trekker because mine had been stolen in Amsterdam and… my boots. My sweaty, very broken in, well traveled Keen hiking boots. The look on Hassan’s face when I offered him my boots was priceless. You see, the porters that work for the company we trekked with are cared for much better than most, but these men and women of all ages move up and down Kilimanjaro, carrying enormous loads generally with less than quality gear. Often, their gear is worn, tattered, and ill fitting. The one thing they always had strongly intact was a smile supported by a great attitude. Many wore insufficient footwear, even crocs held together with rope! Day after day, I would watch these porters move swiftly past me on the trail and I would stare in awe at their footwear. These men and women fly up and down the mountain, practically in flip-flops! Meanwhile, as I planned for this epic adventure, I ruminated for weeks, trying to find the perfect pair of boots to break in for my Kilimanjaro trek. At one point I think I had tried on more than a dozen different boots…channeling my inner Cinderella!

With my well loved boots tucked into Hassan’s strong hands, I wasted no time upon returning home to order another pair. I’m not gonna lie, it felt indulgent. But as I take my new boots out for their first dance with the dirt today, I walk in honor of the heart, athleticism and shear determination that my brothers and sisters displayed daily on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Now Back at home with all of my creature comforts and vast access to just about everything, Carrie, Anne and I are exploring how we will collect and distribute more quality gear to our sacred family on Kilimanjaro now and into the future. Stay tuned as we work to formulate a plan and let me know if you have ideas, experience, or interest in helping to turn ideas into action.

This epic adventure continues to feed me lessons and today I am reminded of yet another reason why it’s so valuable to get out of your comfort zone and explore how other people live. Find opportunities that speak to you and work to make a difference in our world. My boots, now traveling with Hassan will absolutely see more miles on the mountain that has forever changed my life and makes me smile. #ChooseCourageNow.