Pilgrimage of Peace

Since I was a young girl, I never felt like I fit in, and at the same time, I felt like I fit in everywhere. This dichotomy within myself made it difficult to ever feel settled. Though I could find people and places that felt home-y, I never truly felt “at home”. The course of my childhood and what I was involved in was largely steered by those who’s care I was under: attending a Christian school, playing sports from a young age, along with the psychological and health conditioning that my family gave. Please don’t misinterpret my words, my family did the best they could do with the resources and experience they had. It took a few years to learn to follow myself, starting in high school, which began with an unconventional decision to switch my path and transfer schools. Since the initial choice to follow my intuition, the trust of listening to that whisper has grown over time. Like a muscle, continued practice of action and observing, the whisper has grown quite loud. 

The idea of the Pilgrimage of Presence started when I was hiking alone on the Appalachian Trail in 2022. Though just a seedling of a thought, I knew I felt called to explore the United States in a non-traditional way. A few years later in 2024, I took a solo trip to Denver, Colorado with the intention and guidance from a higher power, that it was a “pilgrimage”. Little did I know the impact those few short days would leave on me. From intimate connections and conversations with old friends, to the exposure and exploration of the local nature, to magical meetings with new companions and unexplainable similarities, to the deep understanding of myself that I gained by the autonomy during that trip. As soon as I got home, I knew my solo adventure needed to take place As. Soon. As. Possible. I’ve spent the last year visualizing, crafting, organizing, and manifesting this trip, and I’m thankful to say it all begins January 5, 2026.