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Into the Quiet
Appreciating the Silence
"In the quiet of the woods, we find the answers to questions we didn't know we were asking." - Howard Hill
THE TRAILHEAD
"In the quiet of the woods, we find the answers to questions we didn't know we were asking." - Howard Hill
Howard Hill was an expert bowman who for from the 1930s-1950s, was often introduced or billed as "The World's Greatest Archer". He established the record for winning the most bow-and-arrow field tournaments winning a total of 196 competitions in a row. He additionally advised on many Hollywood film sets on trick shots and archery and filmed his own documentaries. He also wrote two books Hunting the Hard Way and Wild Adventure. Beyond his trick shooting he demonstrated some amazing skills hunting wild game, especially with a longbow.
His quote hits pretty close to home. What is it we are getting at escaping to the woods each time? It can be a pretty solitary, lonely at times even. Not to mention it does not always go exactly as planned or with the best of weather. At times, it's the complete opposite. Why is it we head to that solitary quiet place? I’d say it's the same reason some head to Church or go on retreats to find themselves. It's the QUIET of it all.
A time to breathe, a time to clear your head and to enjoy things others would never imagine. Sometimes it's the small stuff, a squirrel running up your tree, or a chipmunk collecting for winter. Other times it's the pleasure of watching a fawn passing through or if you're lucky, the opportunity to harvest that buck you’ve been watching all year.
Regardless, it's that stillness in between that allows you to rest, calm your mind and remember that all the stuff that has been occupying your mind, the stuff you have been worrying about, the keeping up with the Joneses doesn’t amount to much. There are quieter places in the world where the answers are found. If you can get to that place without all the hustle and bustle, sometimes things fall into place, and you can work things out. If you just…. slow…. down…. and get to that headspace.
Take a deep breath.
Look down, check the arrow you knocked a bit ago. Find something to find small to appreciate during this sit and let the some of that day-to-day baggage go.