Originally posted 3/24/2019
It began in 2017. An overnight backpacking and fishing adventure. Or maybe it was the late 1980’s; the re-awakening of a childhood dream. A random walk. At the deepest level it began in the 1960’s. Innocence swallowed by bewilderment yet veneration blooming with fascination.
A sultry midsummer evening. 60 pounds. 3 or 4 miles. Vigorous mosquitoes. A cool mountain stream dumps into a warm river backwash. Sun fading in the distance; shadows looming at the ankles. Small fish are biting. Downstream, barely perceptible, water spills over a single ledge. An Indian fish dam. Sheba enjoys a swim; challenging the current and depth. Trail foods for a late dinner. I’m at peace, full of wonderment and nostalgia.
Mankind’s greatest need and desire is to know. And be known. I am self-aware yet bound; sheathed and isolated in an internal world. Mankind can survive periods without food, water, shelter and other physical needs. Yet commit me to solitary confinement, the detached rumblings of my mind’s eye, and I go crazy at a moment’s notice. Mankind’s greatest longing is to be included. Connected; not alone. A sharing of his or her inner self; to be known. Therefore, we express ourselves. We express ourselves through music and art, poetry, occupations, families and friends, hobbies and recreations, religious rituals. Some wear masks. Yet our expressions, sans flying to the moon or a deserted island in the South Pacific, are inevitable. I begin this blog with the goal of sharing myself through writing. My experiences, the knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained, the truth I’ve discovered. With higher aspirations; to enlighten and edify others. And to be known.
The child was awakening. Not from an afternoon nap or a blissful night. The child was awakening from his birth. A growing self-awareness of himself and the world around him. The child was mesmerized and captivated by the glittering of a star, the scuttling of a salamander, the brilliance of spring wildflowers, the grandeur of a flowing stream or mountain outcrop. An exploration for knowledge, wisdom, and truth. A journey forever; overflowing with moments of adventure.