The glory of nature and the mystical art of stick slinging.

The wilderness thrills us and gives us life, and while we nurture the traditions of our grandfathers and grandmothers, we are saddened by what we anticipate for our grandchildren. Sometimes, sitting silently in the forest or climbing into the mountains, it occurs to us that we do not want to go home because we have begun to think of ourselves as an endangered species. To hell with that! --Terry McDonell, "Who We Are"

Well, it's almost the end of deer season here in South Carolina and of course I just went to the woods for the first time last week. I know I often say "I'll be late to my own funeral" but dadgum. I have got to quit being so slack. It seems like every year I say things will be different and that I will spend more time in the woods. And every year, for one reason or another, I end up either late to the party or not going at all. This year it was a combination of not purchasing a hunting license when I had money and then thinking about it when I didn't have the money to spend, or just working a lot. But no more, it is now time to fully immerse myself back into the world of outdoor sports. That means getting up way earlier than I would like to, being colder than I want to be, and being uncomfortably sore from gallivanting through the woods and climbing trees.

In other developing news, I got serious about my bow hunting. I took up archery last year and thought about taking my bow a few times last year but ended up taking my gun instead. Well this year I finally did it, I took only my bow. I didn't even bring my gun in the truck in case I changed my mind. I feel like, and this is probably due in large part to Ted Nugent, that bow hunting is the ideal way to hunt. It brings you back in touch with the past. I know that a lot of guys use muzzleloaders because they feel the same way about them, but not me. Even though you only get one shot it's still a gun. I mean with a bow you're essentially throwing a stick at a deer to make a kill. A stick. That means you have to be almost perfect. Your arm has to be steady, the wind has to be relatively calm, while you hurl a stick roughly the diameter of a pencil at a target area the size of a football (heart & lungs) from anywhere ranging from 15 to 40 yards. All this to make an ethical, clean kill.

So often, in today's society, we try so hard to do what's good for the environment. Bet so many people often over look the fact that many hunters are being great stewards of the environment. The natural world relies so much on a system of checks and balances and in today's world, for a great many species here in North America, the hunters are part of that system. For one reason or another a lot of the "natural predators" have been taken out of the system. Out west the wolf is making a comeback and I'm sure it does it's part to control populations but it's not at the level it once was. Now I said "natural predators" because it's ignorant, in my opinion, to not include man into this category. I know there are animal rights activists and organizations that would say that is appalling to say, but it's the truth. And anyone who says hunting is animal cruelty has neither done any hunting or any research into responsible hunters. I guarantee you if you look back far enough in the lineage of every member of PeTA you would find a man hurling a stick at wild game to secure a meal. With that being said let me state my belief that the kill should be as quick and clean as possible. These animals have lived a wonderful free life, but that life is a constant struggle against nature and the elements. I believe that when their time has come that shouldn't be a struggle. If you are gonna ask that animal to give it's life to sustain you then you should honor it by giving it a quick, clean, efficient end.

Hunting is the oldest and perfect sport. It's an opportunity to take in the beauty and grandeur of nature. It's a chance to harvest and animal that hasn't been genetically engineered through a hundred years of selective breeding. There's no growth hormones added. It's perfect protein, to steal a line from Ted Nugent. Aside from that there is all the times you return home from the woods with nothing to show for your efforts. But you don't return empty handed. I can count on one hand how many times I've returned from the woods with a deer but I can't count how many awesome visuals of nature I have stored on my internal hard drive. From the sight of dawn's first light breaking on a frost covered cow pasture to the last fading rays of the sun falling through the leafless oaks and tall pines the beauty in nature is infinite. Every time you enter into the woods you will leave with a whole new index of "desktop wallpapers" for you mind to shuffle through when you reminisce about past hunts. I will try to take a camera with me from now on and urge everyone else to do so as well. It will allow you to share the experience with others and hopefully get others involved in the sport.

Well Sunday night is starting to fade into Monday morning now and it is definitely time for me to head to bed. I have to be up early to go to work, after that I have class for a little while, but I can tell you exactly where I'll be tomorrow afternoon. Freezing my butt off in a tree stand 10 miles southeast of here and loving every minute of it, even if I don't see a deer. Now as for everyone out there, get out into nature. I don't care if you don't hunt, I know it isn't for everyone. But at the very least get out and revel in the glory of nature. You'll find it centers your soul if you're still enough and quiet enough to let it. And if you decide to harvest some of that glory, well good for you.

And we'll end it tonight with:

The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. -- Genesis 9:2-3

That time of year

It's getting close to Thanksgiving and the time of year where we all try to focus on the positive things in our lives. This year has been a little different and I think it has a lot to do with the economy. I have noticed a lot more people voicing their thanks for the blessings in their lives. I think we, so often, focus on what other people have and look right past the great things in our own lives. The society we live in fuels this with it's "get everything you want" mentality and that works negatively against us most of the time. We honestly do live in a nation of excess. I, myself at the age of 25, have had five trucks, actually owned two of them, had two motorcycles, and two boats. Now granted none of these have been brand new or in amazing shape, but that's a lot of someone this young. I have had a very blessed life, even with some of the setbacks I've had. There really isn't much in my life to complain about. And if we're all honest not many of us have much we can gripe about. Now I know there are people out there in dire circumstances and I honestly feel for them. But maybe this is the time to reach out to those people. Maybe you can't turn everything around for them, but make their life easier. If you know someone who is going through some hard times right now just do something for them. Don't just ask them if they need something, do something. Take them a meal one evening, or take them out for a meal. Even something that simple can make a huge difference. It's just one less thing they have to think about. And it helps them see that there are good friends and good times still in their life. Like I said earlier I'm seeing a lot more people focusing on what they do have and being a lot more thankful this year and I think that's a great sign. I think it's a sign that, as a society, we're getting back to the basics and moving towards a happier time. Things are looking good and I'm thankful for that.

Love like a Dog

Yep, that is my dog and that is apparently a comfortable position for her. I've often said if we could all love like a dog then we'd all be in a better world. It's one of the purest and most genuine loves you will find. This kind of love is definitely amplified if you have an energetic dog. Not to say that a bloodhound loves you any less it's just a lot more noticeable in a breed like boxers. And if you rescue an energetic dog from the pound then the love is even more amplified. When I arrive home, whether I've been gone twenty minutes or all day, the welcome is joyful and inviting. It's not a calm and collected hello from across the room as she sits comfortably on the couch. It's a wild, erratic series of convulsions many boxer owners know as kidney beaning. My dog turns her body into a U that can't be still. There is bounding and jumping and changing the direction of the U.

Other than the physical excitement there really is a great emotional love with my dog. When she sits next to me you can see it in her eyes. There is this look that says thank you. Thank you for saving me. And I may be the only one that sees it, but then again I'm the only one that needs to. There's this devotion that let's me know she would do anything for me. And it's not an obedience from fear of punishment devotion, it's a real devotion. Because she'll be obedient with other people, but it's how easy she does things for me. There isn't a lot of coaxing or begging. When she gets a new toy, or finds an old one in another room she wants to show me. It's like a young child wanting to impress a parent.

If we all took this kind of approach to our everyday relationships I think we'd all be a lot happier. I know you don't always want to jump off the couch when your loved one comes home. But, if you could add some excitement to your voice it would make a huge difference. And if you try to love with the unconditional attitude that dogs have then I believe the love returned is even stronger. I'm not saying that my dog loves me so much she just lets me do whatever. Because if we're wrestling and I grab her to hard or twist a paw the wrong way I get nipped. But the way she forgets and moves on so quick is amazing. If we all learn to forgive and forget more quickly we move so far ahead. I know this really doesn't have anything to do with having a wild spirit but it was a slow day for really deep thoughts from me.

Accelerate til you see God and then back off a quarter turn

Most people think that summertime is when the motorcycles come out and everyone is riding. Well to an extent it is. It's when all of the people who are wanting the attention are riding. When the leaves start to turn and the temperature is beginning to drop is when it really happens. I believe this is mostly due to the fact that serious riders are wearing protective gear. In the heat of the summer this is possible but not comfortable. I always loved this time of year because I could finally be comfortable on my bike.

Recently I traded my bike for a diesel truck. I think for right now I'm just out of my sport bike riding phase. I may find that to be untrue at some point but for now I'm okay not having a motorcycle. I will definitely be acquiring another bike at some point but not sure if it'll be a cruiser or something sporty again.

With the change of the seasons whatever signals me to want to ride has signaled others as well. I've seen a lot of motorcycles out lately and it got me thinking about why people ride. For some it's a great and cheap way to see the mountains. For others it's a pure adrenaline rush. For me it was an escape from the everyday and a way to convene with God. When riding a sport bike (not cruising, moving at a significant speed) you have to offer up a great deal of concentration. Having to concentrate so much on the task at hand releases your mind from the worries of everyday life. From my house it's about a twenty minute ride to where the roads get really twisty. I would usually take this time to allow my mind to run through all my normal thoughts and wanderings. Once I arrived at the foot of the mountain a switch was thrown and everything changed. I often rode with an ipod (which I know is illegal but not the first offense for me) and would listen to things like the Last of the Mohicans theme. Being instrumental it offered something to entertain better than the drone of the motor but not enough to distract. On a side note I will say the rhythm of the song is very driving and would often cause me to go faster than I normally would, but oh well that's what the bikes are made for. Once on my way up the mountain thoughts quickly go from when I have to be back at work to push left, lean left, go left, and reacting to feedback from the bike. I begin to progressively lean harder into the curves and accelerate harder out of the apex. With each turn I can literally feel my worries falling further and further behind.

I also mentioned riding being a conference with God. As I lean harder and harder into each turn I realize how much I'm relying on the physics of the motorcycle and the compound of the tires to work. And I begin to have a steady and serious dialogue with God. It's part of that facing my own mortality I spoke of in the last post. When going through a turn marked 35 mph at 65 mph I see how things could go horribly wrong. But I just have to force myself to have faith in the physics of the world God has create and the knowledge he instilled in the engineers of the motorcycle and the tires. And believe me there is no time I talked to God more seriously and reverently than when I would feel my rear tire start to slide through the corners. It was a feeling of "I may be coming to see you shortly so let's go ahead and make my peace."

For some people even the thought of riding a motorcycle is terrifying. But I honestly believe that if they would just ride one time they wouldn't think it so terrifying. They may not love it but at least wouldn't think it was so bad. I understand that blistering through the mountains at mach 5 isn't for everyone but that's why they make cruiser style bikes too. There is nothing else like riding a motorcycle. It's as close to flying as you can get other than skydiving. If you close your eyes it's like you can almost imagine there is nothing else around you. But don't close your eyes to long because like I said it demands a lot of concentration.

It's another key to being wild. Ride a motorcycle. At least once in your life. You may not love it but it will honestly give you a feeling you will never forget.

Death and how "I ain't scared of no ghost"

I just finished a great book titled The Question of God by Dr. Armand M. Nicholi, Jr. which was a bowl full of awesome. It compares C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud's views on everything including love, sex, grief, pain, and of course God. Since they never met it achieves a debate style forum through comparing their views on subjects through letters and published writings. The last chapter of the book deals with the fact of death. It looks at how your world view can affect your perception of death. It also looks at the various ways you can face your own mortality. This was a chapter that really stuck with me.

When I was fifteen my father died and I think that forced me to take a very good look at my own mortality. As a young boy, and yes at fifteen you're still young, I looked at my Father as someone who would never die. As a matter of fact, I looked at my Grandfather as someone who would never die. I thought they were both just larger than life. Both of them could be compared to great heroes like John Wayne or Burt Reynolds ( I know to you Burt may not be a hero, but to a young man who has just seen Smokey and The Bandit for the first time he is). Then, all of a sudden, one of them is gone. And you start to realize, very quickly, that nothing will last forever and we all have an end moving towards us. It's like being dropped into the woods without knowing where you are, no compass, no map, and nightfall is coming. But sometimes that's what being wild means, it means finding your way out of the woods without a map or a compass. It means not fearing the coming night and preparing for it rather than running from it.

At times the thought of an encroaching death can overwhelm you and you feel like it will be here at any minute. Other times you are so wrapped up in the moment of living that it feels as if the sun will shine on your face for a thousand years. I honestly believe that one of the keys to a happy life is to balance these two feelings. On one hand you have to understand that your days are numbered. That ever since the moment you were conceived time has been marching you towards zeros on your clock. But on the other hand you have to step back and appreciate every moment for what it is. A moment you were alive. A moment where you had someone make a difference in your life. They made you happy or made you more aware of something in this world. Or hopefully a moment where you made a difference.

Now obviously, you can also choose to ignore the fact that one day you will die. But if you do will you have said everything you needed to say? Or done everything you needed to do? Now I know that there will always be something left unsaid or something left undone. But I believe that if you live your life with purpose and try to say everything you need to and do everything you need to, you 'll come close. The last thing I ever said to my dad was "I love you, see you this afternoon." And I always knew that love was returned and even though he said it I would have know anyway through his actions. Because he lived his life purposely. He may not have always been the greatest parent of spouse but we always knew he loved us. You don't always have to be perfect but you always have to try. If you never try to be the best person you can be then things will be left unsaid and undone. By trying you let people know even if you never get to say the right thing or do the right thing.

I also think that facing your own mortality is part of having that wild spirit. If you look at the most impressive and strong creatures in nature you don't see fear or worry over death. You don't see Great Whites or Tigers going to therapy because they're preoccupied with the end that is coming they just live their lives. They know one day they will be no more but it's nothing to be afraid of just something else to pass through. No matter what your world view is that's all death is, something to pass through. If you're an atheist then you believe, just like the animals, you will die and go back into the perpetual food chain. If you're of a religious world view then you believe that death is but a passage into another, and better life.

Now some people with religious views will say that death is something to fear if you're not saved. Eternity in Hell is awaiting you. Well truth be told that's my own personal view but I'm not here to preach to anyone. I honestly believe that everyone's faith is something personal and it's difficult to compare to anyone else's faith, but that's another post.

Either way death is nothing to fear in my case. Instead of running from it I charge towards it. By that I mean I live everyday the best I can. Some days that means hiking to the top of a mountain trail and viewing nature's glory and other days that means just being there for someone in an hour of need. Living life to the fullest doesn't always mean going to the ends of the earth for adventure. When living life to the fullest you just have to fill it with great memories of people not always places.

Controlling your fear of death is one of the keys to having a wild spirit. If you spend your life worrying about when death will come for you, you end up with a life like that of a squirrel. You're always wary and looking behind you. If you confront the fear of death and realize that everyone dies, I know some very famous people have done it, then you free yourself from it's grip to a degree. You become an apex predator of the food chain. You no longer fear being the prey, you walk around with a purpose and devour life. You become WILD like you were meant to be. My Grandfather is now 91 and I believe he is ready and waiting for death. Not to say that he wishes for it, but that he does not fear it. And for me I no longer fear him leaving and no longer fear death looking in my direction. We are a wild family and we are ready for whatever may come.

Introduction

Well let me introduce myself. My name is Michael. I'm 25 years old and trying to figure out what I'm gonna do with my life. I'm from a small town in SC where people spend their whole life planning to get out. I guess I planned to get out too but wasn't very successful. You see I went to college in an equally small town and ended up staying here. So out of one small town and into another. I guess it's the life that suits me though. I'm not big on big cities. I don't like the traffic and I like to do things a lot slower. I'm one of those people who will be late for my own funeral. I'm working at a hardware store part time and going to school part time right now. I still have no idea what I want to do but I've got a few ideas. I spend most of my free time just trying to figure things out. I think about what I want to do with my life like I mentioned before. I think about God and how he plays a part in my life. I think about being a better person. I think about being a better boyfriend for my girlfriend. I think about being a better part of my family. This is a weird weird roller coaster of life we're on and it gives you a lot to think about. The key for me is to keep thinking and keep evolving. Don't know where I'm going but I know where I'm at and who I have to travel with me and it's looking good so far. So pick your gear and travel with me a little while. I can't promise any answers but I can offer my insight. It's gonna be a great ride.