Outdoors

The Outdoors is something that conjures up romantic images for many of us... fresh air, back to nature, adventure, a pioneering spirit and all that. And much of this is true. But the problem is our busy lives don't seem to leave enough time to connect with the real outdoors and the natural beauty which surrounds us.

Fortunately, we can access some of this without too much difficulty. All we need to do is get off our backsides and head out of the city from time to time... to a camping ground, or a state or national park that's within a bus or a train ride or a reasonable automobile trip of where we live. Just go someplace to chill out a little and enjoy a picnic or a barbecue with a few friends, or take the wife and the kids or your significant other. Just break your everyday pattern for a few hours and chill out. Enjoy the scenery.

If you have the time for sleeping out, then all you need is a tent or a camper, an RV or whatever. Almost anything will do as long as you can stay warm and dry. Add a couple of warm sleeping bags and not much more and you're all set for a night or two away from the big city lights. It is good medicine for your soul. And it's a healthy recharge for the mind and body as well. We should all do it more often.

Enjoy a campfire, and maybe cook or burn some simple food. Brew up a beverage, enjoy a light feed and some good company... or enjoy being on your own in the quiet solitude. That can be okay as well. Just enjoy being a little bit closer to nature for a few hours.

One thing that you ought to do when you're away from the city lights is to venture out when it's really dark and take a good look at the night sky. There are millions of stars up there, and on a clear night you'll be able to see them up there. It's something you can never do from inside a city because the metro lighting gets reflected back at you from the clouds and blocks out the starscape. But in the outdoors, away from the city lights and smog, you can still see the stars... just as our ancestors gazed with wonder and gave names to the different constellations.