Giving Life By Taking Time.
When it comes to recreation, I’m not a big fan of snow. Not much for deserts either. I like water in its liquid form.
Softer landings and the temperate climate make for a much better experience.
My oldest son is a snowboarder. A few years ago, he tried to try to teach me how to hit the slopes, surf-style. The first time ended with a bruised tailbone and a disdain for the white stuff. The second time left me aching all over.
Snow is beautiful. Don’t get me wrong. Majestic mountains draped in a cloak of pristine white are an amazing site. Especially with the sunrise reflecting its golden hues and purple shadows.
But that beauty is better experienced at a distance… in pictures… in a warm room or at least on two feet, in shoes, walking, not careening down a mountain. But when you are knee-deep in it, it’s cold and cumbersome and wet.
It invades your shoes, freezes your hands, and breaks your back when clearing the driveway. Forget the fact that you are so bundled up that you can hardly move, and if you have to pee, well… good luck.
The youngest son in our home loves to ride a quad, a four-wheeled all terrain vehicle, in the high desert. He comes home looking like a raccoon when he pulls his goggles off. Burms and dirt and speed all thrill him.
All I see is dust in my eyes, grit in my teeth and rocks in my shorts, not to mention blazing heat and hard landings. It’s too dry for a guy like me.
But, desert sunsets are hard to beat, I will admit. The red skies painted with silhouettes of Joshua trees and yucca are beautiful. Campfires and roasted marshmallow are still a favorite of mine.
And don’t forget the amazing night sky. You will never see so many stars. But the dirt in my sleeping bag and showers from a hanging bag are not my thing.
Give me the liquid fun. Wakeboarding on water like glass. Jumping the waves on a Jet Ski. Floating on a tube with your feet in the water and a drink in your hand. Now that’s paradise.
I’m happy to take my kids places they like to go, but as for me and my fun, I will take the river.
What gets your blood pumping? What do you do for recreation?
It’s interesting that the word recreation is about creating something, as if life is created from enjoyment.
We are giving life when we take time to play and relax. It’s not so much about what you are doing as it is about that you are doing something pleasurable. It feeds the soul and engages the heart in life-giving activity.
I think outdoor recreation is important, but there are things we can do indoors that give life as well. Reading for pleasure, writing, painting, and even board games, can bring great joy.
I may not find pleasure in being strapped to a plank of wood and shoved down a hill at breakneck speed, but I love being with my kids. I will even put up with sand in my food if I can spend time with people I enjoy.
The important thing is that we make space for activities that fill our souls.
Life is filled with enough responsibility. Take care of business, but take care of yourself as well. Find what you love to do, and do it.
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Jim Wern is a renaissance man in a modern world; a spiritual traveler, searching for vestiges of the divine in humanity and imparting seeds of hope in a desolate world. He is a husband, father, friend, mentor, creative, tech geek, amateur writer, photographer and chef. His ramblings can be found at his website. He lives in sunny Southern California with his beautiful wife of 31 years.
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