Outdoor Adventures

I've been an outdoors girl from the word go. Perhaps it's the mid-west roots, the sunny stint in California or the years in the wooded PacNW. Ultimately I say it's my mothers doing. She is an adventure seeking sports nut! A woman on the go. I highly suspect she thought me numbers early as a child to prep me for keeping the softball score book. A task I can still accomplish in my sleep.

Having inherited her, "I wanna try" attitude it's not surprising that there is little in the sports world I haven't given a whirl. From climbing mountains to cave diving I've done it. Amazing? Absolutely! In fact some people will tell you that these extreme versions of outdoor activity are the "only way to go." However, there are significant cost associated with these adventure sports. Truth is, you can be equally awaken to life simply by going for a walk down the road.

So often we often forget to open our eyes, our ears, our noses. Perhaps we are conditioned to our cubicles, cars and treadmills. Head down and eyes forward, but amazing things will happen once you brake that gaze into the abyss.

I was reminded of this the other day as I did my daily walk down the road. Just another normal day for little Reuben and I. We went by the house with the barking dog and down the hill down past the middle school where kids playing baseball as we always do. However as we neared the house were the horses live something caught my eye. Two deer standing right on the other side of the road.

As the four of us stood there staring at each other, I couldn't believe I'd nearly walk past them with out seeing them. What else had I missed? Almost as an exclamation to my thoughts, I watched as five cars obliviously drove between us. Eventually the pair turned to leave and Reuben and I walked the remaining 50ft before turning home. Both of us still watching the spot where the deer had just been as though the spot itself were magical. Perhaps, for me it was. I suddenly felt more alive. I didn't need special equipment or an exotic location. I simply went outside and paid attention.