To the Editor:

For the last five months I was in the woods walking from Maine to Georgia on the Appalachian Trail. The decision was rash and easy, made by two friends and me in our winding-down days of high school — to hike 2,200 miles instead of directly entering the much-anticipated world of college.

The expected fruits of such a journey were apparent: natural beauty; the joy of meeting other hikers; and the simplicity of this ambulatory life wherein the only necessities are food, water and one foot in front of the other.

Yet as I watched the impeachment process unfold on TV, the great schism along party lines ever deepening, I thought back to the acts of benevolence we saw from people of all 14 states we hiked through. My fellow hikers and I were grateful to all the strangers who offered a bed, food, water, hot chocolate, extra supplies, hitchhikes or whatever we needed. This support came from Trump supporters, from Bernie Sanders supporters, from the unknowing or indifferent; what mattered was that we could use the help.

It brings me solace and hope to know that the televised division of our country illustrated by our elected officials is not a thorough representation of the state of the union or the character of its citizens. It is worthwhile to go out and interact with those who are dissimilar rather than allow what is seen on TV to render them uncongenial.