When The Day Has Ended.....

The long day on the trail has ended and the sun is poised two hands above the horizon on its never ending trek across the sky. Reaching into his pack the man pulls out his shelter and begins preparations for the night. Stretched between two trees and in the proper orientation for a good rest it waits patiently for the man to finish his tasks so that his tired frame can access its primitive comfort.  Having accomplished that task, he begins clearing a spot for his fire and starts to cut the necessary pile of wood for the duration of his encampment.

Finally a tongue of flame licks hungrily at the handful of twigs and within minutes a companionable blaze reaches into the evening sky.  A container of water is on to boil, the boots come off and two weary sock-encased feet are stretched out to warm and dry.  A book is soon produced from the depths of the rucksack and a great sigh of happiness escapes the breath of the wanderer.

At the proper moment, a handful of beef jerky and an equal amount of rice is distributed into the boiling water and the traveler settles back for another chapter as the fire crackles and whispers merrily in the background. The subtle noise of the forest is like a lullaby to the man as he rests contentedly with his back against a giant white oak.

Soon a sound of a distant coyote draws the mans attention away from his reading and he stares off into the gathering darkness.  His thoughts soon turn to home and loved ones and in an odd twist of emotion, he longs to see the face of his wife and little ones.  As much as he feels at peace in the wilderness, there is always a great happiness in being reunited with loved ones.  For a few minutes he allows his thoughts to dwell on this topic and then at the repeated howl of the coyote, his mind is brought back into the present moment and the thrill of once again making a temporary home in the wild.

Now, spoon in hand and a prayer of thankfulness on his lips, the man begins to slowly savor the taste and aroma of his simple stew.  Slowly but surely the aches and strains of the rugged terrain he has navigated begin to drain from his bones and a sense of security and contentment pervades the forest and infuses his soul with anticipation for the discoveries of the trail that lie ahead of him.  For weeks he had planned and scheduled this trip and now the reality is upon him. Truly, he has all he needs in the few pounds of gear that hangs next to him on a simple cord. What he did not pack he can confidently secure from the rich resources of the world around him.  These are the moments for which he lives, the connection with Nature and Nature’s God.

Spiritually speaking, we all need to leave the busy mess of our stressed out lives and find a refuge in the wild places. In Mark 6:31 Jesus called His disciples to “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest awhile.” They had just completed a busy time of ministry to the people of the Galilee region. As our Creator, He knew the advantages of getting away into the wilderness and as our Example, He often did just that to pray and relax.  We don’t know all that He did in those moments alone, but He surely possessed a good command of survival skills to have spent so much time alone in the deserted and wild places.

It is a truth that we were created to live in a natural environment, not the concrete jungle, and there is something immensely healing and therapeutic to be found in Nature.  This is one of the reasons that we seek to preserve our wilderness areas for ourselves and our posterity.  We must all be good stewards of what has been freely given to us and make sure that we take no more than what we need from these precious resources.

So, when is your next trip? Are you planning and scheduling? Are you sorting and packing? Or are you wistfully looking out the window and wishing that you could go? Even if it’s just a walk in a local park, you need to get outside. Let someone know where you are going and then, if possible, turn off the phone, disconnect from the world and reconnect with the earth and your Creator.  Remember, you were made for this. It’s your privilege and your right to walk among the towering trees and flowering grasses and feel communion in your soul.  And when you arrive at your destination and the day has ended, you just might find the peace that you’ve been searching for all along.

Thanks for reading!

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James B