I suddenly have this deep desire to go on a canoe trip.
While I realize that this might be a leetle silly right now, because I would
freeze my butt off and I kinda like being able to sit (and let’s be honest I
just like my tush)...
I really want to go
on one next summer.
I love canoe trips.
I
love the excuse to be dirty and not shower for 5...or 7... days. I love making
my own fire and perpetually smelling like campfire. I love being TIRED at the
end of the day because I just canoed for four hours and portaged two 1 km
portages a few times each. I love just being tired cause I’ve been out in the
sun. I love the feel of jumping into the cool water, clothes still on or in a
bathing suit (though the former can be more fun), and feeling my skin sigh in
relief. I love how disgusting food tastes amazing and how it is totally
acceptable to eat s’mores for dinner. I love watching the sunset and hearing nature’s
noise change with it.
I also love the stars...oh my goodness. Guys, is it possible
to salivate at the thought of a canoe trip?
No?
Oh...I was just joking...
But seriously, the STARS! I love me a night sky. I love
lying out on a rock or clump of grass and looking out into the great beyond. I
love hearing the crickets and bullfrogs in the background and the crackle and
pop of a fire. I love the feeling of the cool breeze that comes across the lake
and makes you pull your sweater more closely around you. I love the
conversation that happens under night skies. I think I’ve had some of the best
conversations of my life under a night sky. I’ve also had some of the most
hilarious conversations under the stars.
I will now share some
night sky stories with you that come to mind.
And you WILL like them...
One year on the staff canoe trip we were all sitting
around the campfire, chatting and laughing and breathing in way too much
campfire smoke. As we sat there and talked the sound of a loon broke through
our conversation and everyone started talking about how beautiful the sound
was. I shivered and said, “I think it sounds like a lost soul...” Maybe I’d had
one too many s’mores or something because this was not an opinion I tended to
state so boldly. Everyone turned and looked at me and laughingly said “What?!”
Then I proceeded to try to defend my opinion but instead was just mocked for
the rest of the canoe trip.
But seriously, doesn’t ANYONE else find the loon’s
call a little creepy?
There are so many moments from camp where I remember lying
out under the stars on the hill, squished between a bunch of other girls, if I was so
lucky to not get stuck on the edge, giggling and talking. The conversations
that happen under the night sky at camp I can’t even describe to you how
wonderful they were. Hilarious camper stories were told, big questions were
asked and debated, laughter about boys, relationships and our notions on child
birth was shared. The support system every summer from these women got me
through those awful high school years, I’m glad they weren’t the best years of
my life.
What a depressing outlook.
I also remember being scared out of my skin a few times at
camp, thanks to a wonderful wolf mask provided by Beau. I think it’s worse to
be scared when you’ve been waiting for it. The anticipation just builds!
The canoe trip I took two summers ago with my best friend
was filled with quiet, peaceful moments under the stars. Where we just sat in
content silence and tried to decide when we would have to brave the dark woods
to use the thunder box...
That memory just reminded me of another great night conversation that
didn’t happen under the stars but may be one of my fondest memories from my
last year of university. I was blessed in my last year to share a room with my
best friend. Most nights we would crawl into our separate beds say a few things
and fall asleep. But one night in particular we just couldn’t stop talking and
it was late and we both had early mornings. But alas! Whenever we tried to stop
talking one of us would burst into a fit of laughter. I even tried leaving the
room and coming back in, but once I crawled back into bed I started giggling
all over again. This memory makes me smile...
I think that these types of moments are something that I’ve
missed a lot lately. Just the other day my friend mentioned a conversation
starter that got me thinking. Basically you answer this question, “If you
really knew me, you’d know...” I think that if you really knew me, you’d know I
love late night conversations.
To be honest, one of the only things I miss about being
single is the chance to have these late night conversations, under the stars or
otherwise. I have so many fond memories of hushed conversations happening in
the dead of night, hearing the wind in the trees and having the stars above me.
It’s kind of sad to realize that these conversations are still possible but
that it takes more intentionality (not a word?!) for them to happen. There is less spontaneity
behind them. Maybe this will make me treasure these conversations more in the
future or be more intentional about them.
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