Routines

A week in the mountains disrupted my regular routine, but it didn't take long to find another. Morning came when the birds began to chirp, and sunlight illuminated my tent. We had a flag ceremony and devotional thought every morning before breakfast. Without a morning newspaper I had no crossword or comics to peruse and no information about the major political, social and economic issues of the day. Instead, I talked with friends, old and new and learned something about my neighbors and myself at a slower but more meaningful pace.

Early morning hikes were followed by a lunch that the food committee handled and the activity committee arranged for crafts and camping skills certifications. They were even wise enough to schedule downtime that allowed me to read, ponder and pray. The pace at the camp was slow enough that I could look for opportunities to help others. I gathered and chopped wood as needed for campfires and used what muscles I had as needed. I had taken my digital SLR camera and became a documentary photographer, capturing these young women in their many activities of the camp.

Now that I am back home I relish in the comforts of home. The combination of soft firmness in a regular bed with full size pillows is sufficient to bring on blissful sleep. I feel no sense of worry that a rock might be under my bed or that a bear might smell some food that might have been left out. I can't say that I miss the smell of bug repellant or the  need to check for ticks. And I remain amazed at the real luxury that a refrigerator represents. It is so easy to take for granted that we own a box where we can keep all kinds of food that we like and we can store them for days, weeks and even months at a time. Inside that refrigerator we can find an assortment of sweet and savory offerings to satisfy the most finicky of appetites and desires.

These very comforts of home form part of my daily routines. But I was glad to learn one thing about me and the person that I am becoming. While I was camping I was happy with what I had. Rarely, if ever, did I think about what I was missing at home. I was able to find a new routine and in it, find comfort and joy. I don't usually look out at the stars because the light pollution limits what I can see, but out in the mountains the majesty of the Milky Way inspires the imagination in ways that urban life tends to limit.

I switched from information and technology to cooperation and nature as my expected routine and I was more than fine, I was happy. I hope to live with more simplicity and purpose, and remember that it matters less where I am, rather it's the joy I find in my everyday routines that bring enduring happiness.