I just read Hatchet for the first time. I may have read it when I was a teenager, but this is the first time. I started to listen to it in the car thinking it would be a good book for my almost 5 year old son to follow along with and entertaining for me. But in the beginning he started asked what things like affairs, divorce and heart attacks were. While I have no problem explaining these things to him, I thought that maybe when he's older he'll appreciate the book more.
I've read two books this summer about thru hikers of the Appalachian Trail as well. I know that's not as adventurous of crashing a plane into the middle of the Canadian wilderness and surviving for 54 days with only a hatchet to use as a tool, but they were still good reads.
Couple takeaways for me about Hatchet, Brian Robeson had a rebirth. The first few days he was set on being rescued. He had hope. But when the first plane came and went. That hope died. He rebirthed himself. He didn't have hope of being rescued. He wrote that off. And he now lived knowing everything he did was for survival. And he did well. He crafted a fish trap, a bow and arrow, spear and learned to hunt well. He created a shelter. He became one with the wilderness. He was even able to move among the wildlife. Expect for that moose.
At one point, a tornado or wind shear came through and lifted the crashed planes tail out of the water. He made a raft and swam to get the survival bag out of the raft. He succeeded. And ultimately this led to his rescue by activating an emergency signal. But as he was opening the bag, he found a rifle. And upon holding it, cleaning it and loading it. It felt foreign to him. He lost his connection to the earth. The way Gary Paulson wrote about this disconnect that Brian felt was incredible. He felt as though he was betraying the very essence of who he'd become. This rifle and all the dried food rations would totally change the way he lived and moved in the woods. He'd have to be less dependent on his survival skills and allow a tool to do it for him.
I was envious of Brian. Of being in a position to rely on ones self in the wilderness with nothing. Could I do it? How long could I last? There is something in me that certainly wants to try.
I think about my friends who have moved to Haiti to run a pediatric clinic. What an adventure that must be. As prepared as they were, I don't think they had any idea what they would experience. While I'm incredibly happy for them and what they are doing, I'm slightly envious. You can follow along with their ministry and adventure here.
I think about my buddy JD, who I met on a trip to Haiti. I had never met him before but he said he wanted to go. And he met us in the airport. He had just got done hiking the Appalachian Trail not long ago. He really just wanted to get down to Haiti and explore. And we did, just not in the way he wanted too. But I'm confident he had a memorable experience. He told of how he was going to go to New Zealand and hike the Te Araroa trail. I didn't really believe him. Well, he just got done with the 3000km trail about two months ago. What an adventure. You can find some of his journey in photos here.
I think about my buddy, Strider, (AKA Matt). Always involved in a form of adventure. From joining the military to hiking the AT this summer. The stories he could tell already in his young life. He hurt is ankle pretty bad in NY on the trail, pulled out and did a cross country road trip to finish out the summer.
At the same time, many are probably envious of my adventure. I have a family. Two young kids and a wife. What an adventure! Yeah, I feel you. It is. And I love them dearly. We will have our adventures. And maybe I'm just getting a little anxious for the future. My kids are almost 3 and 5. We are just beginning the phase where we can venture further and further away and not have to worry about the needs of young children. I'll continue to be patient.
At the same time some would be saying, Jon, "you've struggle with various mental illness all your life and you've done pretty well at functioning in life with them". I know. I'm badass. I don't wish that on anyone. And its not nearly as intense as others struggles. Was it an adventure? Maybe.
I'm not unhappy. I love my family. They are a source of my happiness. Not "THE" source. That's not a responsibility I want to place on them. Nor should anyone place their happiness on the shoulders of another person. It's not fair. For you or them.
Maybe it's the longing to explore unfamiliar areas. And you could say that this afternoon is unfamiliar. Make the most of it. Right. Shut up. But you are right.
I think that's why people love vacations. I don't want to vacation. That's like playing just the tip. I want to live a vacation. Mind you, I'm still not unhappy. Just wanted to remind everyone. When I was in amway...They said you could live a vacation. That never turned out so well. If the stars aligned for you at the same time you worked really hard, maybe. But I wouldn't want any one of their lives. At least the ones that I knew.
Just some thoughts this morning. I'm headed of to run the Diakon Outdoor Adventure Challenge. It's not an adventure anymore for me.
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