My Sky Condo

A recent piece in “Trout” by Tom Reed talked about place and what it means to have that one place where you can retreat to and forget all of your worries. It got me thinking about my place. Tom writes, “it is your place. We all have them. Places of heart home, places where we feel centered and right in the world… At that moment when you were there, you were all there.”

When I was little, I would sit by the stream heading out from the pond behind our house. I could sit and just listen to the birds, the stream gurgle over the rocks and watch the clouds bounce across the blue sky. It was peaceful and calming.

When I hunt now, I can zen out pretty well. It may take me a week to get comfortable but after that, my 5-6 hour long sits are usually calming and relaxing although I am observant as I watch and wait for a deer. You have time to process everything in your mind (sometimes more than once) and sometimes you are surprised by what your subconscious wants you to work through.

And maybe it’s different if you are fishing instead of hunting. Hopefully I can get some time in soon to get back out on the waterways and catch something, but for now it is deer hunting and relaxing.   Each of my hunting spots are unique and hold different memories and last thoughts. In my Treeseat, I relive that 10 pointer walking out in front of me and giving me the opportunity to shoot my first deer without dad sitting besides me. It helped me gain confidence that I can calm myself down enough to make one good, clean shot. In the Sky Condo, I remember watching yearlings play in the field one morning and a set of triplets exploring the bushes and small trees just under us. Quietly watching nature.

I am sure that as I hunt more, start fishing and getting my son outside more, there will be new places that relax me and carry great memories. There will be new places that are the perfect spot to relax and share memories.  There will be the place where my son shoots his first deer.  Where I catch my first first (real one, without a guide) and where any future kids find their passion for the outdoors. I can’t wait to find them!