Dreaming

I have been spending a lot of time dreaming lately.  I’ve been dreaming of going backpacking when I get home, I love being out in the woods.  I haven’t been able to go camping or doing anything more than day hikes in a few years.  It’s the whole idea of getting away from civilization that draws me in.  I don’t live in a city and while I see some social benefits to it, I personally don’t find it appealing.  I’ve always wondered why more people don’t venture out into the wilderness on their days off.  For me and my puppies it’s the best part of the week.  When I did live in a city I felt cramped, one of the things that made me feel better was the greenway system.  I would take the dogs out to the greenway and the national battlefield almost daily.  Over the years the woods have become more and more solitary, this is good for me because I like being out there by myself (and the puppies) but it seems a bad omen for children.  I have taken my daughter out on trails for a couple hours at time before and she seemed to enjoy it.  Like I said I enjoy the solitude but on some level I think it would also be nice to see parents taking their kids on day hikes and going camping.  I really wish more people would get into it.  Not everyone is cut out for one and two week excursions into the wild but there are so many parks and battlefields and greenways that everyone should be able to enjoy the outdoors on a weekly basis.  It’s therapeutic, it makes your whole day better which in turn makes other peoples' day better which then causes less fighting and then there is world peace.  I just wish I could see a more active society.  Adults get so busy with their jobs which they have decided are actually their lives, this trickles down to the children who in turn become serial killers.  Kids don’t even pass notes in class anymore, they text each other.  Skype and Facebook have taken the place of walking down the block to visit a friend.  I have actually seen two grown men in the same room have a conversation over instant message.  Is it so terrible to walk outside?  Our busy adult lives have attributed to lazy, depressed, overweight children.  The worst part is just that these children have become normal, overweight children are normal.  I am not exaggerating when I say that weekend walks in the woods can cure diabetes, probably not type 1 but who knows.  It obviously takes more than just a couple miles in the woods on a Saturday but it’s a start.  If we can begin to teach our children how important the outdoors are and how beautiful nature is it might just change their outlook on life as they grow up.  I dream of taking my dogs on hikes and trips.  I can’t wait to stand on the summit of a 14K peak in Colorado with them.  I realize this isn’t for everyone, I’m just suggesting that if everyone would do more walking in the woods that all of the problems of the world could be fixed.  You hear that?  Walking in the woods could possibly cure cancer and end world hunger, stop being lazy and complacent America!!!!