It’s Only A Problem If

I am a city girl, who married a city boy.
But, this city boy has a love for outdoor adventure.

I am a planner, a calendar keeper.
But, my lover of outdoor adventure embraces spontaneous moments.

I am a creature of comfort.
But, spontaneous moments in outdoor adventure push beyond comfort.

My nature is not adventurous.
Yet, the fear of missing out pushes me to try new things.
And in my trying of new things, I have discovered the beauty of lessons learned
in those adventures with nature.

As we travel the rugged nature trails we rediscover lost interests
and discover new things about who we are.

@joy.marker

My oldest loves adventure, he fearlessly races ahead to see what lingers around each corner. In the great outdoors he seems free, untangled from the pressures of the teen world he currently resides. Without reserve, he trail runs across the green meadow, races up the steep dirt path, and climbs every large boulder. But, he also notices, he begins to see the details and pay attention to what is around him. He gathers wildflowers along the trail and hands me a beautiful bouquet. He finds pinecones and strangely shaped rocks. He sees beyond himself, a practice, currently uncommon in everyday teen life.

My youngest is no lover of the great outdoors, yet these adventures bring out his gift of storytelling. Like myself, outdoor adventures push him beyond his comfort zone. He does not appreciate the unknown on the path up ahead. He would rather travel the same path each time. Yet he finds his bravery as he travels the unknown path. He finds new stories, new adventures and it is beautiful. As we journey his imagination grows and his vocabulary explodes, he tells us stories, both imagined and supported by known facts. He uncovers the story behind the fallen trees, hidden caves, and unknowns that linger around the corner. And in each journey, he discovers he can do more than he believed was inside him.

My husband becomes the most content version of himself on outdoor adventures. He fully embraces his role as a provider, making sure we are all geared up with necessary and emergency supplies. He is our protector, watching the path for dangers and helping us navigate safely. He is our teacher, helping us to travel smart, and learn new skills along the way. Unplugged and disconnected from the demands and responsibilities of the ordinary every day, he is fully present in the moments. As I watch him travel these journeys, I fall in love with him all over again.

Early on in our young married life, we learned, adventures were best if I was kept warm, dry, and fed. I tended to get cranky when cold, wet, and hungry. Ok, I still tend to get cranky under those circumstances. But, I no longer give up on adventure when the elements do not meet my expectations. Because I have learned that there is beauty in making memories in the unexpected. The best stories, the ones we tell over and over again, generally come from unexpected, crazy moments. Remember, the camping trip where it started to rain just as we were getting the tent up? Instead of cooking hot dogs over an open fire we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the tent and shared stories. We all remember that PBandJ like it was a feast, a treasure. It tasted better listening to the rain bounce off the tent. It tasted better in the crazy unexpected moment.

Rain is only a problem IF you are afraid of getting wet.

Andrew T. Marker

Nature seems to have the ability to bring out the best or the worst versions of ourselves. For nature is unpredictable. You can begin a journey in the most perfect of conditions only to find yourself caught in an unexpected downpour.

Yet, it is in the unexpected that we discover what is inside us, what we are truly made of. It is in the unexpected that often the best stories are formed. It is in the unexpected that memories are made, good or bad, depending on how the unexpected is handled. When we are caught out in the wild of nature in unexpected situations, either the best or the worst part of who we are will be revealed.

Time spent in nature allows the stories already within us to finally get told.

We can resent the unexpected downpour of rain. Or as my husband reminds us we can embrace the attitude, that rain is only a problem if you’re afraid of getting wet.