I had not been camping for years, yet I agreed. I agreed to go with my friends on a one day camping trip to make some good memories. Although I was a little reluctant because I am honestly not the biggest fan of the great outdoors, my friends sort of made my decision for me. This past Saturday, just the four of us went for a whole day and night out in the woods. I knew it would be a cool, quick trip.
We all woke up early to make sure we could get there asap, and see a few animals on the way there. Our campground was up by Heber so I knew some of the area. But our leader of the trip knew a trail out to a site that was supposed to be great for seclusion, sights, and cell service (the best part.) Anyways, as we got on the trail with our vehicles, the best thing we got to see was a couple of squirrels. Which I will admit was kind of disappointing. The bright side of the morning was that everything went smooth while getting to our camp site.
As soon as we arrived, I realized I was completely out of my element. I tried to remember all my previous camping trips, all the knowledge I had gained before, and did my best to apply it to the moment. Watch for rocks, big branches, don't leave trash, and don't leave the coals in the fire unattended. Basic knowledge but I was a novice anyways. But thankfully my friends planned way ahead and brought all the essentials. To quickly sum it up, it was a fun trip and we had some good laughs but while there I started to think of something I hadn’t thought of in a long time.
We live in the most absolutely safest time period of mankind's existence. Sure there are still murders and atomic weapons out there; but there are still so many advancements in medicine and technology that humans are the dominant species. Aside from the ocean, mankind owns the world and the resources it offers.
Humans have grown so far advanced, that we have potential to literally destroy ourselves and the planet along with it. Yet there was a time when that was unthinkable. Me and my friends thought of the idea of man first discovering fire and how amazing it must have been for them, because at that time everything was practically out to get us. Bad weather could mean sickness, and a small cold could have killed you. The animals were bigger and more ferocious. Every day was a fight for survival. I'm allowed to enjoy a camping trip because sleeping outdoors, starting a fire, and roasting marshmallows is all part of the fun. Those who came long before us couldn't do the same.
I find these thoughts so fascinating because I can't imagine life before modern times. It's hard to envision no skyscrapers in New York, no Disney in California, and no Holbrook in Arizona. So much time has passed in human history and my span of life here on earth is insignificant in comparison.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Camping Thoughts
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Wow, that really put it into perspective for me. We have all of these comforts in life because of what someone before us has done to make life better for the future. We no longer have to fear what we once feared. We are no longer a subsistence economy. I love the thoughts that you have. You always have something interesting to say that causes me to ponder and to really use my brain. It's quite fun actually. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI actually love camping, but like you, I haven’t been in a while. I saw pictures on Facebook and it looked beautiful (and cold). This blog post was rather interesting and I enjoyed the part where you included how you and your friends thought about the first man who made fire, because I think about stuff like that all the time when I am camping, too. Maybe it has to do with being immersed in nature, or the fact that you have nothing else to do than think these philosophical things. Either way, awesome post!
ReplyDeleteI just have the thought in my mind of you out in the wilderness camping--you're definitely not one I would see enjoying that, but I am glad that you did! You are also extremely lucky that the only animals you saw were squirrels because the last time my family went camping a bear ransacked our entire campsite.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you had the reader led out to believe that your blog was only going to be stories about your camping trip, but in the end you were able to turn it into a valuable lesson and leave the reader with a thought.