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I trust you all have many collection of pictures. Photos since you were babies, saints or the idols you treasure. Family pictures and most important your spouse and children that you adore so much that you hang on your office wall or home. However, I have a friend in the office that hangs this picture on his wall: (the beauty). I told him indeed that is the most beautiful picture in the world to me too, at times :-).
If you love canoe camping, you know what I mean and since we don't have that many lovers yet among this mailing list members, I will share a bit with you the 'why'. We all are journeying in this world, are we not? We have our own path, sometimes we journey together with someone or a bunch of people we call friends. Sometimes we are alone or we feel alone. Nevertheless, we are in a journey. Most of the time we can find our path, easy road, smooth and straight. We can day-dream while we are riding our bike on the path :-). However, sometimes we are lost! We don't know anymore where we are, the GPS (Global Positioning System) that we possess is of no use at all. We know we have to find our way, our thoroughfare or next path or we will be doomed.
I love canoe camping. Prior to doing this, I just went camping, onshore. We went hiking at times on the many trails. Therefore, after a while, Cecilia and I agreed that we should do interior camping. We went to the interior to camp. This means we have to carry our packs or belonging with us. We have to be more prepared, carefully plan and assess what do we really need. Interior camping is good for our body but mainly we exercise our feet. Until we were introduced to canoe camping. This is even better. Not only do we exercise our feet, we have to make sure our arm muscles are as good too. On top of that, add to the packs the load of a canoe, at least 50 pounds if you can afford a Kevlar canoe :-) or 80 pounds if it's a rented aluminium.
Now, imagine that you are going through a 20 km route for the day that will cover 3 portages and be on 4 lakes. It's not unusual if not typical for a canoeist to do on a day. You are on the third lake and have done the two portages. The day is getting shorter. Soon it will be dark. Your arms are heavy, thanks to the broken collar-bone :-). Your stomach has been growling ever since cause it's dinner time already. Now, you have checked the map countour multiple times and you keep saying to yourself that this is it, it's the cove with the portage trail. You paddle again slowly, back and forth. You can't seem to find your way. It's like a life journey I describe above. You become desperate. Perhaps you will say, "Why me?" You start to argue with your paddling buddy and worse if he/she happens to be your spouse. You blame her/him for not listening to you earlier. You tell him/her that you can't rely on him/her. Your buddy doesn't accept this unfair treatment. He/she screams back at you. You keep your mouth shut. You paddle again, your mouth feels dry and your tummy is empty. Suddenly ... yessss ... "Oh my gawd!" you scream. You have seen the most beautiful picture in the world. Indeed :-). To my friends who are still 'aliens' to canoe camping, that is a sign that the Ministry of Natural Resources in Ontario (PPA in Kampung Melayu) put on a tree at the beginning of every portage trail. Finding that means you are back on your journey! You are no longer lost and you can hug your paddling buddy, say sorry if you have hurt him/her :-). Here is your beauty again in different format: (The most beautiful picture :-))
PS.Thank you to my friend Trisna who worked to create the above two pictures so that I can share this 'reflection of the day' with you all. Indeed, he has found his Beauty too on our last Killarney trip:-).