A Grateful Response
Mt. Olympus, Washington State
by Paul Schneider, WWF Board Member
Like many people today, I head for the trails when I need to clear my head, or when I feel bogged down in the many things that I need to do. It may seem odd that in the time when I’m busiest, that’s the time when I need that break in the woods and the mountains, or on the beach the most. Almost always, taking a brief time away from the hustle of the city and busy-ness of my every day life actually helps me refocus.
I learned this early in life, through scouting, through camping with family and friends. The opportunities to do these things were available to me because of my family’s resources. We had the money to cover my expenses for scouting, to buy the equipment for camping and to get to go on trips. It was something that I didn’t think about when I was younger - it wasn’t until I was buying my own equipment, paying for my own trips, with all the permits and food, not to mention the gas to get out to the state and national parks, national forests, and other trails that I noticed how expensive it truly was.
Paying for these trips on my own has led to some deeper appreciation of the wild places that I go out to. I feel many things when I get out to the wilderness. Relief, relaxation, awe, even a little intimidation. But more than anything else, these days when I do get out into the forests, up the mountains, along the coasts, I feel gratitude. Gratitude for natural beauty, for a place that is untamed, sacred in its primal wildness. Grateful for the majesty of mountains, grateful for the cool shade of trees, even grateful for the rain which drenches me.
Some people have practices of gratitude, ways to remind themselves of the many things they should be grateful for. These practices are good for cultivating an attitude of gratitude, which has been shown to help one live a happier, healthier life. One of the things that I have found is that while gratitude is good, it also should also drive a response. Gratitude should drive not just an appreciation of that for which you are grateful, but also push you towards improving the world around you.
The fact is that I have been blessed to be able to largely afford the trips out to the wilderness that I want and need for balance in my life. Plenty of people however, have not been given that opportunity. It is being aware of this that drives my involvement with the Wilderness Ways Foundation. My gratitude for the wilderness drives my desire to let others experience it for themselves, especially those who have not had the resources that I had growing up, the resources that I have today. So not only do I volunteer my time on the board of the Wilderness Ways Foundation, I also give monthly to it. And I’m not alone. 100% of the Wilderness Ways board gives to the foundation regularly as well.
Has being able to access the Wilderness improved your life? Has a verdant forest, majestic mountain, or a beautiful coastline rendered you awestruck, or blessed you with peace when you needed it? Then please consider giving. Giving Tuesday this year is December 2nd. This is a perfect time to support the Wilderness Ways Foundation. Have you got some wiggle room in your monthly budget, and want to show your gratitude for the blessings you’ve received from time in primal places? Consider making a recurring monthly donation, like I do. This ensures a steady replenishment of the monies we use for making grants and scholarships available to programs which encourage people who don’t typically have access to the wilderness to get out there.
And know, if you give once, or give on a recurring basis, that we of the Wilderness Ways Foundation are grateful that you’ve chosen to join in on helping people find that awe, restoration, and gratitude of being in primal places for themselves.