The past few days I have been extremely sick and unable to spend much time outside. Due to this, I have realized what I miss out on when I can’t experience the wild. The first thing I’ve noticed is that I find my attention span lowering when I spend more time inside and on my phone. I try to combat this with reading, but nothing will beat my runs through the park.
Another reason I need wild is because it adds to my appreciation of life. I’ve seen this show up most in my ROTC experience. I used to absolutely hate going to the field, sleeping outside, and dealing with the weather. One day I decided to start finding ways to enjoy being outside. I started small by enjoying less screen time and finding ways to appreciate the wilderness. By starting small, I have found a genuine appreciation for going to the field now. I started packing less gear and making an effort to fully immerse myself in nature when I am out there. This newfound appreciation has improved my quality of life with the Army drastically and made me happier overall.
The wilderness has always been a pivotal part of my life. Some of my most fond memories with my family were spent in the Hoh Rainforest, at Deception Pass, or at Kopachuck State Park. I do not think I would be who I am today without my experiences in nature.
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