In Search of a Place Few People Find
Reaching the top of the climb, I look around for a spot. I’m winded. My quads are trembling and I need a break. Resting against my pack, I place my rifle by my side and close my eyes. “This is nice,” I softly whisper to the forest canopy above. My hands search for the opening pocket of my windstopper jacket. The morning sun reveals himself over the foggy haze of the ridge and it illuminates my eyelids. I feel its heat penetrate through and slowly spread down my bones to my near-frozen toes. My mind is quiet. I hear the sounds of squirrels hopping through the foliage. They scurry around for white acorns, dig, then flight toward a nearby hardwood. The wind is calm, yet the sunlit hillside is pushing a thermal drift across my face. I don’t mind it—its warmth is welcomed like an old friend. In this very moment I had no thoughts about school, work, politics, or even my next move on this trip. “This is nirvana…”
Two days later I was unpacking my gear and I thought about that morning ridge where I stopped to rest. Mornings in the mountains are the best. The air is clean. My breath is crisp. And my mind? —quiet. Will I ever go back? I think we all have a favorite place. One that allows us to shutdown from life. A place we visit. Now, this spot is certainly different for each individual, but similar in the way it helps remove us from the day-to-day grind of constant noise in our minds. Instead, you focus on one thing—being alive.
To me, I have found that I don’t have just one favorite place because I am endlessly searching for my next. I have dozens, still, I want more. It’s the adventurer’s curse. I will confess that the majority of these places tend to be on mountains. Perhaps it’s the view. Perhaps it’s the altitude that makes me feel small and puts perspective into my life. Perhaps it’s the ass kicker of a climb that forces me to physically stop and take it all in.
I guess the point I am entertaining is this—the prospects hunting offers me are numerous, and I am thankful for each and every one. I am getting closer to wildlife. I love knowing where my food comes from and being a part of the process. I admire the discipline it teaches and the infinite learning experiences it provides. Nevertheless, it’s the opportunity to explore and find that new favorite place that continues to make it to the top of my list. Adventure lives in my soul. I am a pilgrim in search for places with no distractions, no networks, no people. Finding these places quiets my mind and opens my eyes to meaning in an often noisy, empty world.