Lose yourself in the outdoors

I was reading an article in the user submitted section of our local paper's online website tilled "Getting Lost Never Turned Out So Well" by Erin Barrett where she writes about getting lost on a hike that she and her parents were taking.  Erin wrote, "I took nothing but pleasure from our wanderings in the forest that day" and that got be thinking about all those times I have lost myself in the outdoors.   

Losing yourself in the outdoors doesn't mean actually getting lost and requiring a search party to find you, but instead that you forget about the day to day hustle and bustle and immerse yourself in everything great the outdoors has to offer.  To do this the right way you can't be under a time constraint, it's not like scheduling a meeting with a start and end time, it has to just happen.


I can't remember how many times I've lost myself in the outdoors but I  know it happens on a regular basis and you don't have to be in the woods for it to happen as can be seen in my "Weekend of Survival" post. My getting lost in the outdoors has occurred while driving home, while working in my yard and even sitting at my desk when the turkeys frequent the grounds of our office building.   No matter when and for what, something has caused me to stop what I was doing and immerse myself in something going on outside.  I'm sure this sounds like a good case of Attention Deficit Disorder and I guess it kind of is but I feel better knowing that it's caused by the pleasure that I have received from all those times I was lost in the outdoors.
 
One of the reasons I enjoy hunting so much is it allows me to lose myself for hours on end with nothing to do but soak it all in.  Now don't get me wrong, I usually have a game plan in hand but many times I find myself throwing that out and just going with the flow.  I can't remember how many times I came across something that caused me to deviate from my plan and drew me over the next ridge or into a swamp. It could be something as simple as a noise, a track or even a sighting of an animal but most of the time it's just plain curiosity and desire to see more.


As I read Erin's article and her comments about the view and the eagle they had seen,  my first thought was "big deal, I've seen that", but then I realized what is so common place for me is really something special and I am thankful for all those times that I have been lost as well.  Thanks for the reminder Erin. 

I encourage you all  to share the last time your were lost in the outdoors and if you can't remember then I think it's time for you to get lost! :)  Enjoy it.