Camping is Good for Your Soul

This past weekend was spent camping at a little secluded spot in Pisgah National Forest with just my husband-to-be and our two dogs (for the record, the youngest, Atreyu, is a luxury-seeking puppy who refused to lay on the ground by the campfire Saturday night and would settle for nothing less than his dog bed). The nights were a bit chilly as it is October and in the mountains, and occasionally you're woken up by a rustling that has your brain screaming, "BEAR!!!!!" (Fortunately the bears were either in hibernation mode or just weren't that interested in eating people) There's nothing quite so charming as camping: the campfire, the s'mores, the pile of blankets to keep out the chill, pancakes cooked over a single-burner Coleman stove, peeing in the woods, mourning the lack of a hot morning shower, and did I mention the s'mores? (Campfire, bonfire, fire pit = s'mores always)

Seriously, roasted marshmallows/Hershey bar/graham cracker combos and non-existent indoor plumbing aside, camping is one of my favorite things to do outdoors. The forest and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains (primarily above 3000 feet) were a kaleidoscope of reds, oranges, and golds. Owls hooted around us the first night, the moon was shining brightly (nearly at full), bats chirped (squeaked?) in the darkness, and there was stillness and stars and solitude. It was wonderful and relaxing, a true mini-vacation for my mini-family.

On Sunday, we drove north on the Blue Ridge Parkway from the entrance by Mt. Pisgah and onto the Linn Cove Viaduct. This is an interesting feature of architecture. Here the parkway literally comes off the mountain and over the valley. This had to be done to protect the fragile native habitat. It's worth the drive to see the viaduct, especially in the autumn.

My future husband was of course wonderful and brilliant and helpful on this trip. I was less than appreciative of his efforts, for which I am very sorry. Working on my appreciation when people I love do something good in my life is one of the things I need to work on, as is looking for the positive instead of the negative. This change is something I hope to accomplish soon with my happiness project (which I've slacked off on lately, I'm afraid). The best thing to do is look at any mistakes that I make on this path of personal growth and learn from them. It is a lesson that perhaps many people need to take to heart on their own life paths.

Camping + nature + autumn in the Blue Ridge Mountains equals a state of happiness that I would like to feel every day. Spending time out in nature is often a spiritual and religious experience for me. I come back feeling refreshed and grounded. I also come back feeling very inspired (it works some major mojo on writer's block).

This will be our last camping trip of the year because the rest of October is pretty well booked for us (my cousin is getting married at the end of the month and I will be traveling to that) and winter is fast approaching (which means - gasp! - so is Christmas). We went camping twice this year (that's one more than last year and I can't even count how many years it had been before that since I'd gone). We plan on making more than two trips next year as well as one day taking our children on camping trips so they can love and appreciate nature the way that we do.

Nature, my friends, is beautiful and powerful and uplifting, not just in the color splendor of autumn but any time of the year, even in the white stillness of winter. If you have the opportunity to get out, whether it's in the mountains or a local forest or a lake, do it! You will come back with a renewed sense of purpose and vigor and a new outlook on the world. Nature is good for your soul.