In the last post on balancing being a dad and a dreamer, I discussed my conundrum of spending time outdoors with my boys as wells as having my own personal athletic ambitions. Soon after that post, I took my boys out for two nights of backpacking. Clarity came. The conundrum was gone. Getting outside often does this for me.
Being out in the woods with them made me realize the balance isn’t between my own athletic ambitions and being a dad. No, the true balance is making sure I find time to get out and experience the magic of the woods.
Magic?
Oh yeah, it’s magic alright. How else can you explain the way the trees and the trail ease my mind, bring a smile to my face, and recharge my soul? Whether it’s on a 2700 mile solo ride, backpacking with my kids, a day of mountain biking with a buddy, or a 0.5 mile hike with my family is not important.
The simple fact of being out there in the woods is where the magic happens for me.
When there isn’t enough magical balance in my days, that’s when I think too much and come up with these conundrums in my head.
My wife has her magic place – the red chair in the corner of our living room with a book, a blanket, and our cocker spaniel in her lap. Completely opposite of mine but still a magical place nonetheless.
Where is your magic place? And how do you ensure that you have enough time there while balancing day to day life?
