Every year I disappear into the permit free wilderness for a week. I take as many young people with me that are willing to go. I am of the opinion that spending time alone, with nothing but what you can carry in remote areas has a powerful effect on you. I have to spend extra time preparing, pre-writing my blog entries and generally do a lot of planning. However, it is worth it.
Being in the wilderness for several days is meaningful because it strips life down to what is real.
Most of modern life gives us layers of insulation. Schedules, devices, food systems, climate control, entertainment, transportation, constant communication, and the quiet assumption that help is always nearby. In the wilderness, much of that disappears. What remains is simple, immediate, and honest.
You carry what you need. You feel the weather. You notice the light changing. You become aware of water, food, warmth, shelter, fatigue, and direction. You realize how much of daily life is supported by invisible systems.
The wilderness restores a sense of dependence and humility. It reminds us that we are not in control of everything. Wind, rain, darkness, terrain, temperature, hunger, and exhaustion do not negotiate. That can be uncomfortable, but it is also clarifying. It places us back inside creation rather than above it.
It creates simplicity. For a few days, the questions become very basic. Where will we sleep? Do we have enough water? How far can we go? What do we need to carry? In that simplicity, the mind often becomes quieter. Many of the anxieties that dominate normal life begin to feel less urgent.
It awakens presence. Without screens and constant interruption, attention returns. You hear things. You notice patterns. You feel time differently. A meal tastes better. A fire feels sacred. A dry pair of socks becomes a blessing. Small things recover their value.
It reveals capacity. Carrying what you need, enduring discomfort, navigating uncertainty, and continuing forward when tired all remind you that you are more capable than your ordinary routines may suggest. The wilderness does not just test strength. It teaches trust in your own resilience.
“The wilderness removes the excess and returns us to essentials: body, breath, earth, need, gratitude, courage, companionship, and God’s creation.”
Finally, it often produces a kind of spiritual reordering. Not necessarily in a dramatic way, but in a quiet one. You return with a changed sense of proportion. The world feels bigger. Your problems may feel smaller. Gratitude becomes easier. Comfort feels less like an entitlement and more like a gift.
I think about this as I prepare to leave again. The planning takes time. The writing ahead takes effort. But when I return, I will remember why it matters. The wilderness is meaningful because it removes the excess and returns us to essentials. For a few days, life becomes harder, but also clearer.
If you have been feeling buried under the noise, consider stepping away. Not forever. Just long enough to remember what is real. Pack what you need. Walk until the systems fade. Let the simplicity teach you. Then come back and carry that clarity forward.
Totally agree! It definitely matters!