OUTDOOR TRUTHS

Winter undoubtedly thwarts many outdoor plans in most parts of the country. If you don’t believe me, just wait until the first warm weekend in February. There will be more lawnmowers heard than any other time of the year. It’s not that they want to mow their lawn, but it’s just that they have cabin fever. Another problem with the winter is the amount of light in each day. There have been several times when one could hunt all day and stay out less than twelve hours. That means twelve hours in the dark. And even though my children think I live most of my life in the dark, I’m not ready to do it literally. I guess you could say that at this time of the year we must live our lives in a cold and dark place. That doesn’t sound too exciting. And the truth is depression is far more likely to occur during these cold and dark days than when it is warm and sunny. There is no doubt we are built for the light. Light was one of the very first creations of God. I think the most obvious reason is that without it we wouldn’t be able to see all the other creation. The beauty of the mountains and trees, the plants and animals would never be fully appreciated without a light to see it by. With light we understand those things that we see, touch, smell, and hear. It puts things in perspective and shows the harmony that each part of nature has with the other.

As a child I was very afraid of the dark. My own bedroom became a prison for me each night. As I got older, however, I began to love being outside at night. I used to think it was the darkness that gave me comfort, but it was not. It was the light. It was each star and constellation. It was the moon and the flickering lights that came from distances unknown. It was not the sea of blackness, but it was how one tiny speck of light could penetrate that sea, that mesmerized me. There is no wonder Jesus said of Himself, “I am the light of the world.” I understand that. I understand what He was saying was simply that he gives everything perspective, purpose, and peace. He illuminates the unknown. He makes plain the path. He brings harmony to chaos. By His own life He penetrated a dark world with a light of hope, and He gave us all an invitation to live in this light where we never have to be afraid or unsure and where we can enjoy every minute of each day, no matter if the calendar says June or January.

Gary Miller

gary@outdoortruths.org