Do you know solitude?
The dictionary defines solitude as the
1. state of being alone: the state of being alone, separated from other people, whether considered as a welcome freedom from disturbance or as an unhappy loneliness
2. remoteness: a quality of quiet remoteness or seclusion in places from which human activity is generally absent
3. lonely place: a remote or uninhabited place
When a person spends time in the great outdoors they get to experience all of these definitions and more. Everybody spends time alone; that is a given. It's the lucky that get to enjoy and suffer the unique solitude that only a mother nature can create. When is the last time you went for a walk in the woods alone? When's the last time you've crept up free flowing mountain stream with only solitude as your company? I cherish these moments alone in the mountains. I've walked miles in that vulnerable state of loneliness, and have come to enjoy both the anxieties and the natural highs that come from those experiences. I remember a day when I was elk hunting alone in a dark secluded forest. I focused on the small things to ease the tension that is sometimes felt when walking the woods alone. I noticed the mushrooms, the flowers, and the unique designs of each shape and shadow that lay before me. I listened with intense devotion to the chirping birds and agitated squirrels as I made my way through the woods towards the bottom of a draw I'd never visited. I broke the silence with my cow call and then quickly discovered I wasn't alone after all. No sooner did I finish the last note of my call, when the feeling of solitude was broken and multiplied at the same time. Branches broke and a grunt came from behind me. It was a bull moose following my "cow in estrous" soaked clothing. ( I know spraying oneself with "cow in heat" is not considered a safe practice, but I'll tell you for a fact that it's definitely effective) He made his way towards me and I then had to decide how to deal with that pesky monster. He stepped into the old logging road about 70 yards away staring directly at me. I decided I didn't want to deal with the curious love sick fellow so I climbed up a steep bank into a thicket and watched. He stood there awhile staring down the road while I waited on his next move. He figured out I wasn't moose or a friend and after a few tension filled moments he pushed his way down into the creek bottom below me disappearing for the day. I enjoyed the rush that his presence created for me, and I soaked up the experience cataloging it right next to the other encounters with the might beasts I've known. Solitude yearns to tests your spirit and your fortitude. Solitude longs to teach you to rely on yourself, and most importantly she reminds you of how insignificant you really are in those vast unforgiving places. Head to the woods alone sometime and experience all the pleasures and anxieties that only the woods can create. Sit on a mountain top and admit to yourself that you are small--nothing but an ant in the yard of life. The sheer size of the mountains and trees should make you feel small. When you feel that, you'll understand how lucky we humans are to have loved ones and a warm dinner waiting for us at home. How lucky we are get to sleep in a comfortable bed, and how lucky we are that God above has created such solitary places for us to come to an understanding about our place in this world. We are part of nature! Not just observers like too many of the tree hugging, anti-hunting urbanites feel we should be. They seek shelter in the cities, with their friends, fashionable trends, and other easy to come by distractions and gadgets. They attempt to run, scrape, and scramble--desperate to escape from the true meaning of life. Go ahead and run. Run till you can run no more--but realize that your attempts are futile. Loneliness always wins. She knows no bounds. I suggest you face her. Get to know her moves, and embrace her like a trusted friend; though she may be your enemy. Solitude is the outdoorsman's teacher. She forces us to accept the things that are out of our hands. She urges us to see that God is in command and to get to know him. Solitude will teach you to appreciate those powerful and memorable days spent with the ones you love. Solitude can't hurt those who know the power of love, family, and faith. When your content with yourself, Solitude quickly becomes a welcome friend. but only after you've learned how to stop running from her. Face her, open your arms, and give her what she wants. A slow dance.
The dictionary defines solitude as the
1. state of being alone: the state of being alone, separated from other people, whether considered as a welcome freedom from disturbance or as an unhappy loneliness
2. remoteness: a quality of quiet remoteness or seclusion in places from which human activity is generally absent
3. lonely place: a remote or uninhabited place
When a person spends time in the great outdoors they get to experience all of these definitions and more. Everybody spends time alone; that is a given. It's the lucky that get to enjoy and suffer the unique solitude that only a mother nature can create. When is the last time you went for a walk in the woods alone? When's the last time you've crept up free flowing mountain stream with only solitude as your company? I cherish these moments alone in the mountains. I've walked miles in that vulnerable state of loneliness, and have come to enjoy both the anxieties and the natural highs that come from those experiences. I remember a day when I was elk hunting alone in a dark secluded forest. I focused on the small things to ease the tension that is sometimes felt when walking the woods alone. I noticed the mushrooms, the flowers, and the unique designs of each shape and shadow that lay before me. I listened with intense devotion to the chirping birds and agitated squirrels as I made my way through the woods towards the bottom of a draw I'd never visited. I broke the silence with my cow call and then quickly discovered I wasn't alone after all. No sooner did I finish the last note of my call, when the feeling of solitude was broken and multiplied at the same time. Branches broke and a grunt came from behind me. It was a bull moose following my "cow in estrous" soaked clothing. ( I know spraying oneself with "cow in heat" is not considered a safe practice, but I'll tell you for a fact that it's definitely effective) He made his way towards me and I then had to decide how to deal with that pesky monster. He stepped into the old logging road about 70 yards away staring directly at me. I decided I didn't want to deal with the curious love sick fellow so I climbed up a steep bank into a thicket and watched. He stood there awhile staring down the road while I waited on his next move. He figured out I wasn't moose or a friend and after a few tension filled moments he pushed his way down into the creek bottom below me disappearing for the day. I enjoyed the rush that his presence created for me, and I soaked up the experience cataloging it right next to the other encounters with the might beasts I've known. Solitude yearns to tests your spirit and your fortitude. Solitude longs to teach you to rely on yourself, and most importantly she reminds you of how insignificant you really are in those vast unforgiving places. Head to the woods alone sometime and experience all the pleasures and anxieties that only the woods can create. Sit on a mountain top and admit to yourself that you are small--nothing but an ant in the yard of life. The sheer size of the mountains and trees should make you feel small. When you feel that, you'll understand how lucky we humans are to have loved ones and a warm dinner waiting for us at home. How lucky we are get to sleep in a comfortable bed, and how lucky we are that God above has created such solitary places for us to come to an understanding about our place in this world. We are part of nature! Not just observers like too many of the tree hugging, anti-hunting urbanites feel we should be. They seek shelter in the cities, with their friends, fashionable trends, and other easy to come by distractions and gadgets. They attempt to run, scrape, and scramble--desperate to escape from the true meaning of life. Go ahead and run. Run till you can run no more--but realize that your attempts are futile. Loneliness always wins. She knows no bounds. I suggest you face her. Get to know her moves, and embrace her like a trusted friend; though she may be your enemy. Solitude is the outdoorsman's teacher. She forces us to accept the things that are out of our hands. She urges us to see that God is in command and to get to know him. Solitude will teach you to appreciate those powerful and memorable days spent with the ones you love. Solitude can't hurt those who know the power of love, family, and faith. When your content with yourself, Solitude quickly becomes a welcome friend. but only after you've learned how to stop running from her. Face her, open your arms, and give her what she wants. A slow dance.
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