On The Edge of My Map

My hike through this life
  has already covered miles of trails.
I've traveled some risky ridges
  and sood atop some prominent peaks;
exultant and joy filled over the victory
  as I gazed in wonder at the trail behind me.

Some places along the trail
  I hope to never travel again;
places where the valley was dark and long,
  hills that wore me down,
rivers I crossed and almost drowned,
  every obstacle making my backpack seem heavier.

When I started this trek,
  I did not know what to expect;
preparing my pack as best I knew how;
  included things I never need now
and didn't include things I never knew I'd need;
  each item weighted my burden until it injured me.

I now find myself on the edge of my map.
  What lies ahead is unknown land
and compass and map offer no plan.
  For this part of the journey I need a new map.
I'll unload some things from my pack
  and get one of those GPS units so I'll track
where in the world I am.