After our upcoming family celebration of God's sustenance in our lives during the Thanksgiving holiday, I am planning once again to head north to enter the woods.
This annual time when I spend a day hunting whitetail deer is an important refuge for me. A day most quiet, where I am all alone and all the sounds that reach my ears are brought in an environment functioning as if I wasn't even there. The wind, the creaking of swaying trees, a babbling brook or maybe snow softly falling on crunchy leaves all add a great depth to this experience. The beauty and peace that I enjoy in God's kingdom, even if it is for just this one day a year, is refreshing to me. Being a silent observer of nature in this little spot in the world brings joy to my soul.
Whether I leave the woods with a wild bounty for our table or not, I know that the time spent in respite, reflection and refuge from worldly pressures will be fruitful for me.
This photo of a quiet mountain stream, taken a year ago along the route to these woods, is a timely reminder of what awaits me there.
Your words here, Ken, strike such an equal chord with me, as I felt so similar when I spent my years hunting up in McKean county with my good friend John and various other friends of his that joined us. I believe it was more for the camaraderie than the actual hunt, and the success of any of us in bagging a buck was just icing on the cake. I looked forward to those 3 day adventures like a 6-year-old looks forward to Christmas morning. Hard to believe its been 10 years since the last hunt...
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