Living an outdoor life has served me well. The tasks and chores that are part and parcel of living in the country keep me outside and occupied in mostly productive activities. Hikes on the trail are continual sources of adventure and discovery for both humans and Labradors. Walking among the prairie blooms is unavoidably cheering, even though the world right now does not seem like such a cheery place.
While our location puts distance between my family and the rest of the world, when the corona virus first reared its grossly ugly head, we were glued to newscasts anxiously waiting each day to hear what the experts thought our future would hold. The ABC Nightly News claimed to be the most watched television show of any kind in America. Then the stream of information increased from a trickle to a flood. It became impossible to discern science from politics, truth from fiction. It is enough to make anyone at least a little crazy.
Fast forward six months and many of the people I know have either cut back significantly or stopped watching the news altogether. We are road weary, hoping and praying for the good news that never seems to come. Couple that with societal unrest and violence, and we feel a palpable weight on our shoulders. We face possibly critical personal decisions. Should we send our kids to school? Wear a mask? Hide out at home? Everyone and no one seems to have the answers.
In the face of the adversity, my family, along with a bunch of other people in my home state of Wisconsin, took a stance and made a decision: we went fishing. In fact, a record number of people made this decision. Annual fishing license general sales increased by 21% and maybe even more important, the number of first-time licenses sold doubled for 2020. People ventured out to calm the crazies on our state’s 15,000 lakes and 84,000 miles of rivers and streams.
In Figure Eight, the first book of my Northern Lakes Mysteries, the main character John Cabrelli finds solace and healing by reestablishing his personal connection with the outdoors. He is no different than many of us who find the outdoors to be a place of peace and renewal. During this time, how have natural resources been part of your life? Where are the places you seek peace?