I grew up on weekends in the Texas Hill Country, along the Frio River, from the time I was a cute little tomboy of 8-years-old into my teens up until 18-years-old. My Mom and I (and eventually my Step-Dad) would go camping there almost every other weekend for over 10 years.
That's when I was surrounded all the time by the beauty of the outdoors. However, the conditions you grow up in, you don't really reflect on them or realize how important they are in your life, until later in life.
I didn't have appreciation for the outdoors until I got older; until I missed it; until I remembered it again.
I starting working in my career right out of college in San Antonio. While I moved to Jacksonville, FL for 2 years in the late 1990s, I still didn't really venture out into the outdoors. Then I moved to the DFW-area and didn't really do much outdoor things as well for the next 15 years.
I think there are many, many reasons why I didn't venture outdoors for the last 25 years:
- my passion in life was an indoor sport, so I was normally in a pool room on the weekends, not even thinking about fishing or hiking or camping.
- my boyfriends over the years in my 20s and 30s were not from the country and not into "outdoor things."
- I didn't have kids, as I think many families go camping together.
- I didn't even own any camping gear or a fishing pole.
- and I moved away from the most familiar outdoor place I would have gone to easily: the Texas Hill Country.
While I still loved sunsets and adored animals and nature, I just didn't contemplate doing things outdoors such as hiking or camping.
As I look back, I sure wish I did. That was a lot of wasted years indoors!
I finally "noticed" the outdoors again just last in the last few years.
I stepped away from playing so much pool, went camping a few times a couple of years ago, and started to exercise more by hiking and walking. Last year I starting to scope out parks and hiking spots in North Texas where I could simply take in the outdoors and all it's beauty. Like, walking along lakes, hiking along streams, fishing spots, etc etc etc. Turns out there are A LOT of great parks and lakes in the area that I can visit and be in awe with nature! I have written about a few already (like Eagle Mountain Lake). But there are SO MANY around here, wow! Not to mention so many more not IN the area.
I even went camping and fishing along the Frio River last year and it was amazing! Had a fab time with the familiarity and lots of history flooding into my heart and soul those few solo days.
It saddens me that I "forgot" my appreciation for the outdoors all those years. But, my circumstances in life kinda of led me to that. I'm just glad I realized it again! I am very thankful to have been reminded how much I adore the outdoors and it's reinvigorated my passion and love for it. It brings me such peace and happiness.
I'm such a blessed person to have grown up surrounded by the beauty on nature. Nothing can take away my memories.... and the new ones I'm making outdoors taking in the sweetness of nature around me.
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