What is Your Drug?

We have a war on drugs, but I think we're fighting the wrong enemy. I'm really ambivalent about drugs, what upsets me is the constant barage that we all face every day of our lives. The noise that fills our heads and keeps us from being quiet and looking within, from growing to know ourselves and each other. What this does to our sense of ourselves and our place in the world is more dangerous than any drug.

Was the TV on when you got home last night? How much of your daily thinking is focused on the noise of our modern society? How much time to you spend in reflection; asking yourself about who you are, what you want, where you're going, what's important? Having spent my whole life working in technology, this may sound a little disingenuous, but please turn off your TV and go outside, turn off your cell phone and your internet connection too. I'm willing to bet it will reduce your stres and you'll learn more than watching 100 hours of TV. It seems more and more that the time I am most at peace is the time I spend deep in the woods with my best friend. I hope you all can a find something that lets you escape and be yourself. When you do, I hope you have someone to share it with.

I guess I'm getting anxious as the season gets closer (and I can't bring it here faster). Where I grew up (Florida), we didn't have seasons and there was no down-time for being in the woods. We lost something, though, in that we never had the beauty of the renewal of spring after the long winter. The colors were never so bold as they are here (although we had them year-round). Also, the woods weren't as inviting; Palmetto scrub, scorpions, and snakes were a far cry from the wonderful woods and trails of the Northeast. I'll try to work on my patience and be thankful that the trail will be ready in a few weeks when I'm ready to go. When I get there, I'll say a prayer for all of you and hope that you can find some of the happiness that I will be experiencing, and have someone as wonderful as my friend to share it with.