I recently returned from Utah, where the family spent as much time as we could in the mountains and wilderness hiking, being together with friends, and eating smores. It was beautiful, serene, and renewing to my soul, but it was also a bit scary at times. I love the mountain views, but I’m not one for standing near the edge of a precipice; I can observe the scenery and take great pictures just fine from five feet back.
The environment reminded me of what a wise individual once told me, “The wilderness is not frightening to the wild.” She made the statement after I shared with her that my life seemed to be spiraling into chaos, and I was terrified by what the future held for my family and me. Twenty years later, the statement has an entirely different meaning. The wilderness can be a place of renewal, rebirth, and where encounters with the divine occur. It can be a place where we change, adapt, and gain understanding. We become “wild” to the person we used to be as we orient ourselves to who we are and aim for the highest good we can do. We don’t tame our lives with the expedient or what others consider essential; instead, we seek out meaning and purpose. Whether or not the wilderness is frightening depends more on who we are and who we are becoming.
Dr. CK Bray
*Martha Beck
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