77.

GO CAMPING

On the surface, this may sound like an odd suggestion, but I’m absolutely serious! If ever you wanted a strategy that would virtually guarantee to help you regain appreciation for your home and its many conveniences, this is it. And, to top it off, you’ll have fun too.

I have a friend who once spent a summer taking underprivileged children on backpacking and camping trips. The trips were designed to, among other things, heighten their appreciation for their everyday lives. He informed me that the trips were a smashing success. As the kids were exposed to the beauty (and hard work and inconvenience) of nature, they returned with a new sense of gratitude for the homes they had been blessed with—regardless of how simple their homes might have been. I’ve found that the identical result is achieved when I take my family on a camping trip that might be as short as a few nights. Invariably, we return home with a more humble and gracious attitude.

When you’re out in the wilderness, the simplest things—the things we normally take for granted—are far more involved; cooking, heating water for coffee, getting comfortable and settled for sleep, cleaning up, taking a shower, and reading at night, to name just a few. In fact, something as simple as going to the bathroom can become quite a chore. Depending on where you are camping, you have to either hike to the bathroom or, in some cases, dig your own hole.

Don’t get me wrong. Camping is loads of fun and, I believe, great for your spirit. Yet, it’s loaded with work and inconvenience. Last summer, when Kris and I took the kids to a big redwood forest for our annual camping adventure, both children were eaten up by mosquitoes. They also missed their favorite television show as well as some of the books we couldn’t fit in the car. Suddenly, our home didn’t seem so bad after all—for them or for us.

One thing’s for sure when you go camping. When you get home, you’re really going to enjoy and appreciate a hot shower and a soft, comfortable bed. So, the next time you find yourself complaining about your home—for practically any reason—plan a camping trip and watch your complaints fade away.