Time in the Forest

My lovely wife and I just extended our stay at this campground by another two days. We'll be here until Monday. Then we'll drive 20 miles down the road and stay another 10 days, still in the Ocala. These Federal campgrounds are roomy, remote, private, and somewhat primitive. If you want electric power, you'd better bring your own.

Being out here is perfect for what I want to do. I'm breathing easy, getting some exercise, plenty of rest and a mental health break. It's a good time and place for some contemplation. We all have pasts. Everyone, if they've lived at all, have some deep hurt that we tend to hang onto as it shaped us. We are the sum of our experiences.

The problem is that holding on to past injury stands in the way of our happiness. So I'm actively letting stuff go. I didn't think I held onto stuff all that much. They say revenge is a hot coal that burns in your hand while you wait for a chance to throw it at your enemy. However, there are things, some history, that I always go back to.

Think of it this way. In Moby Dick, Captain Ahab's obsession was the great white whale that cost him his leg. His obsession caused the loss of the ship, his life, and most of the crew's. Now there was a man who could not let things go. Imagine if when people would as him what happened to his leg he's just say, “it was bit off,” and let it go at that. He'd still have a ship and nobody would have died.

Taking care of your mental health is much neglected survival skill. It's worth doing the work. It can be hard, but it shouldn't be. We always feel better after.

-Sixbears