No Man Meets a Friend in the Desert
Posted By Randy on January 28, 2013
The title of this item is an English translation of an Arab proverb that has always been one of my favourites. It packs a lot of realism into a very small package.
It was called to mind by reading a thread on a bushcraft forum I visit periodically in which the original poster asked how readers felt about meeting other people on their wilderness outings. Mrs. LFM and I have specific attitudes about this subject that I’ll discuss today.
I constantly speak here to how important it is to conduct your activities everywhere, but most particularly in the Wild, to be in keeping with the Way of the Wild. Watch, study, and learn from the other creatures of Nature that you share the space with, understand your role in the scheme of things, and behave accordingly. Our approach includes being vigilant to truly observe what is going on around us, as well as what has recently gone on as evidenced by the signs left by the presence of others, whatever their species. We choose our clothing to blend with our environment, even as others clothed by Nature will blend, know when and how to be still, and to move with care to cause the minimum of disturbance and afford the maximum in sure footedness. We speak in hushed, respectful tones. We choose our footwear for stealth and minimal distress to what comes to be beneath our tread.
You will find that this practice will be rewarded with sights and experiences that would otherwise never have revealed themselves to you. You will also find that you will detect the presence of others before they become aware of yours, and these will include other Humans.
We choose the venues for many of our jaunts to avoid other people because, quite honestly, if we want to see you in the woods we will invite you to come with us. Otherwise, well, we don’t go deep into a moonlit forest for a picnic at midnight to engage in conversation with passers by, however pleasant or comely they may be.
I was in my early teens when I first began to spend weekends alone in the woods, testing my Wilderness living skills against reality. As my experience grew, my trips lengthened in duration, and people who knew me often asked why I didn’t get bored. Even back then, I had long since learned that I don’t get bored alone or in the company of animals, and while it certainly can’t be said that I despise Human company, for properly chosen companions can lend spice to any endeavour, it can be said that my sole source of boredom, whenever it occurs in my life, comes exclusively from my interactions with people and the things they have wrought.
Over the years in my jaunts I, and now we, have tended to go ever further afield, even as other animals have, to get away from even the sounds of Human activity, and I have always joked that this practice benefits any interaction that may come to pass between me and any person I may meet there – if they’re where I am, they either know what they’re about and want no more to do with me than I with them, or they are so totally lost that I have a moral obligation to them, and everything else around us, to point such a wayward soul in the right direction and send them hence as quickly as possible.
Hahahaha
"….if we want to see you in the woods we will invite you to come with us."
Truth!
Well written and like this a lot. Mush wisdom in your words. In particular,
know when and how to be still, and to move with care to cause the minimum of disturbance and afford the maximum in sure footedness. We speak in hushed, respectful tones. We choose our footwear for stealth and minimal distress to what comes to be beneath our tread.
Wonder if that should be applied to the martialist world? (chuckle, chuckle)