The important things stopped being beautiful, or perhaps I stopped noticing. Everything started to frustrate me. My irritation level grew paramount and I could hardly stand the lines, the meaningless dribble, the typical small talk and the fake well wishes. I found myself circling the proverbial drain, losing myself down the rabbit hole of negativity. I began waking up beneath a dark cloud each morning, thinking to myself, ‘Is this it? Again?” Every day trivialities shook me, becoming a burden I carried which changed who I was and how I interacted with everyone.
After weeks of this torment, I started to think this life would never end, then one night after my fifth bourbon, I began walking back to my apartment and found myself screaming at a bicyclist, who probably did nothing wrong. I arched my head upward and bellowed into the blackness of night, “WHAT IS THE POINT OF ALL THIS?!” Then like an angel dropping a thought into my head, a lightbulb clicked on and I realized I needed a break.
I sobered up and figured out what I needed to do. I emailed my clients and pushed back my writing work. I packed my Deadfall pack and grabbed my tent, and filled my car with the necessities, and I was off, headed for the mountains. Hours later, the sun began to creep above the distant peaks, illuminating my path like a calling deep inside. Something as simple as seeing greenery brightened my spirits tremendously.
I drove until I saw fewer houses and no people, and I stopped only when I found a stretch of road that seemed to disappear deep into the forest. I parked at the edge of the road, next to a clearing, and threw my pack over my shoulder and I tramped through the forest for a time, until the place felt right. The air was fresh, and the birds were singing, and the light was mesmerizing as it blinked overhead through the canopy.
I setup my 4-season tent and worked hard making a fire, and it wasn’t long before all the negativity I had built up began to waste away. My mind was occupied and my heart full, and before I knew it, the campfire was flickering and roaring before me. I sat back against a rock and simply breathed, deep soothing breaths that eased the stress away like a shower washes away the muck of a hot humid day. I felt free for once, for the first time in a long time, for about as long as I could remember.
Being surrounded by all the wildlife and by the variety of trees, and with no sound of other humans, gave me what I needed. A peace my soul had been ailing for. I felt myself recharging like some dead battery, and after a few days like this, I saw the world differently, and I found myself analyzing my life and rethinking what was most important to me. I gained a new insight and it wasn’t long before I made fresh plans to make big life changes, so as to avoid another breakdown and loss of the soul.
I sobered up and figured out what I needed to do. I emailed my clients and pushed back my writing work. I packed my Deadfall pack and grabbed my tent, and filled my car with the necessities, and I was off, headed for the mountains. Hours later, the sun began to creep above the distant peaks, illuminating my path like a calling deep inside. Something as simple as seeing greenery brightened my spirits tremendously.
I drove until I saw fewer houses and no people, and I stopped only when I found a stretch of road that seemed to disappear deep into the forest. I parked at the edge of the road, next to a clearing, and threw my pack over my shoulder and I tramped through the forest for a time, until the place felt right. The air was fresh, and the birds were singing, and the light was mesmerizing as it blinked overhead through the canopy.
I setup my 4-season tent and worked hard making a fire, and it wasn’t long before all the negativity I had built up began to waste away. My mind was occupied and my heart full, and before I knew it, the campfire was flickering and roaring before me. I sat back against a rock and simply breathed, deep soothing breaths that eased the stress away like a shower washes away the muck of a hot humid day. I felt free for once, for the first time in a long time, for about as long as I could remember.
Being surrounded by all the wildlife and by the variety of trees, and with no sound of other humans, gave me what I needed. A peace my soul had been ailing for. I felt myself recharging like some dead battery, and after a few days like this, I saw the world differently, and I found myself analyzing my life and rethinking what was most important to me. I gained a new insight and it wasn’t long before I made fresh plans to make big life changes, so as to avoid another breakdown and loss of the soul.
| Sometimes the hustle and bustle of our modern lifestyles can be too much. The always moving, always rushing, always doing can take a toll on our health and wellbeing, which is why I am a firm believer in wilderness therapy. For when life becomes too much, consider recharging in the natural world, because we evolved for millions of years in those places, and it’s unnatural for us to live in cities and to work a typical 9-5 job. Sometimes a short weekend away can do wonders for the positivity and peace of mind. In the above narrative, I took the Slumberjack In-Season 2-Person Tent and my Deadfall 65 Highlander Pack with me, and it made hiking through the forest with all my gear a simply task, which took nothing away from the experience I needed to set myself free of the negativity that had built up in my life. When you decide you want to get away, it’s best to limit how much technology you bring with you. In this case, a recharge is time away from, so I kept my gear simple, thinking ahead enough to bring what I needed in case I was faced with a survivalist situation, but simple enough that my things didn’t become a burden. The Dead 65 Highlander pack helped me to elevate my ability to carry everything without the weight and volume becoming a burden on me or my back. It’s sturdy, built well and packed with features like an adjustable carry system, aluminum suspension frame, attachment belts and accessory pouches, and a lot of creative options for storing all my gear. The In-Season 2-Person Tent is a versatile lifesaver, because it’s built to handle all seasons, cold weather and is advertised as capable of going anywhere. Structurally, it’s built to handle fierce storms and is rugged and spacious, so I can stretch out and not worry about what the weather is doing. Because sometimes when you’re high in the mountains, the weather decides to do its own thing. I’ve went to bed in 80 degrees and woke up to 30 and frost. It can happen, so you want to be sure you’re covered. If you would like to learn more about Slumberjack, click here. Article written by Brandon Scott (Main photo by barneymoss via Flickr) |    |
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