We go to the backcountry to find the peace we can't find in the front country. In the front country, we've overbuilt our infrastructure and overheated our schedules, and we glory in the resulting frenzy. We toy with caffeine in the morning, commute distances that can't be sane, rush projects that were due yesterday, work late, and then wonder why our nights go sleepless.
In the wilds, you reduce your world to simple tasks like fetching water, pitching a tent, and cooking dinner. Sometimes it's as simple as putting one foot in front of the other. You are rewarded immediately for completing those tasks, not with a giddy buzz or a narcotic haze, but with the gratification of a pleasing meal, the warm shelter of a well-pitched tent, or a sublime view after scaling the heights of an alpine pass.
National Outdoor Leadership School's Wilderness Guide: The Classic Handbook by Mark Harvey (© 1999 NOLS)
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1 comment:
Love it! Love every word! Thanks for passing these quotes along.
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