Interaction

In mid-October a friend and I decided to hike along the Cub Lake trail one afternoon. The day was a cold one and it was overcast and snowing. We hiked at a leisurely pace for just over a mile and came to a small pond that was still and quiet. With the days growing shorter and the late start on the trail we were content to situate ourselves on some rocks and relax for a while before heading back. As we sat there on the cold rocks with the wind and snow swirling around us we sipped some water and ate some trail mix while enjoying idle conversation. In this moment I was struck by the beautiful simplicity of the moment. Two men were sitting in a cold wild place with no other signs of life around and were relaxing. What an interesting picture this would have made with the pond next to us and the peaks behind it while we sat there as the snow accumulated in our hair and beards. In that moment I believe we were socializing as people were originally meant to.

In today’s culture much of the social interaction between people seems to happen in loud crowded places that are not of nature’s design. We meet up in restaurants, movie theaters, malls, and so on. We buy things while we socialize such as food, drinks, and other trinkets. All of this seems to be a distraction for what we truly set out to do, spend quality time with good friends and family. There are certainly some exceptions to this such as inviting people over for cookouts and such but it would seem to me that most socializing is done in a money spending distraction rich environment. Do we secretly worry about awkward moments of silence? Do we fear our companions may grow bored in our company? Out here in the wild it seems conversation flows naturally and when there are breaks in the chitchat they are agreeable as well. Out there away from civilization you simply enjoy the companionship of who you’re with and the relaxing feeling that comes from sitting on the side of a mountain, the bank of a river, or a log in the forest. Time slows till you lose track of it all together. Troubles are forgotten as they seem a million miles away. Your laughter is deeper and smile wider as you come to realize that this is the peace you were meant to enjoy while in the company of good people. Out here the only distractions are the birds calling from their perches in the trees. Out here money is worthless as there is nothing to spend it on nor anyone to give it to. No calls or texts can detract from conversation for the nearest cell phone tower is miles away. With this knowledge I invite you to ask a friend or family member to take a walk in the woods with you. Find yourselves a peaceful unassuming spot and relax for a bit. Have a good chat about whatever comes to mind but don’t force conversation. When those moments of silence do creep up then just enjoy the natural world around you and the companionship of the person beside you. Friendships can be forged and even strengthened in a wild place.

As I stood and stretched before returning to the trail I thought of those mountain men that came here long before me. I think of how every now and then they would cross paths and stop to trade stories while smoking a pipe or sharing some jerky. On this day I feel yet another step closer to those brave souls I so much admire. We started trekking through the snow but I was warm inside nonetheless.