Getting Back in Tune with Society

So, in case you forgot to read or noticed that your email had a surprising lack of 2015Blogger post, I spent the last two weeks in the woods of first Ligonier, then Indiana Pennsylvania. The first was leadership training and the second was summer camp at my camp-away-from-camp SEPH MACK!!!

I will post later about my experiences at both (Sorry Kurt [Camp Director @ Seph Mack that knows about the site]). What I want to post about right now is this weird transition period from living out of a tent to living in a real house.

First things first, if you've never lived out of a tent for even a weekend, let me describe it. You sleep on the ground or in some cot, under a temporary shelter that sways with the wind, surrounded by the elements. DON'T carry food into your tent either, because the raccoons will get to it. Rain hits, you deal with it. Lightning strikes, you better hope you can find a shelter. Not fun. But you learn to deal with it.

Anyway, you usually pack either a backpack, duffel bag, or something of that sort. Because you can't get cell reception in the wilderness, you live with the clothes on your back and whatever you packed (hopefully you packed well). It's an interesting, serene, and very lonely feeling.

I did this for a few reasons. First, I wanted a detachment. You may recall from "Becoming Attached to Being Detached" (http://2015blogger.blogspot.com/2012/05/becoming-attached-to-being-detached.html May the 26th) That it is a welcome relief for me to be able to focus on nothing but real people, and my own self.

I asked Mr. Y (Scout Leader) before I left what it was all about, and he explained that it was a lot of "Soul Searching."

I am finding the adjustment easier to make, yet at the same time so different. Given the chance to do some soul searching and reflection on nothing but the past, present, and future has (at least I think) changed me for the better.

I had a tough time adjusting to running water (You'll see on my NYLT Day Two reflection how that came into play) as well as adjusting to not having bugs swarming around you (You snap into a camping routine about day 2).

The one thing I have been able to snap into is getting back in touch with texting my friend, writing blog posts, and in general, Interneting.