The Only Deadline is Dusk: Taking the Time Finding One’s “Wild Space”
I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. –Henry David Thoreau
The last two hundred and some odd years has seen an unprecedented obsession with time, with the advent of the Industrial Age and now a focus on timing everything through ergonomics, productivity, efficiency and attempting to find a panacea for the perfect work/life balance.
A recent article showed that successful individuals work not in blocks of half hours or hours, but by the minute. I was recently referred to Amy Cuddy’s Ted Talk on posturing. Her ultimate message is “Fake until you make it,” utilizing at least two minutes to create a “power pose” before an interview or a major event to help boost confidence. With this obsession with minute-by-minute scheduling as a means for success, it sounds a mite stressful. The philosophy that is espoused is that time is to be carved out in great detail, that life is a mosaic and every “tile” of time has to be determined.
While I don’t disagree with these sentiments, I also believe in the importance of carving out large chunks of time and not focusing on such details. It is finding time to simply be, utterly beholden to ourselves as far as our instincts and a rhythm and pace that we set that is looser. In this mindset, time is thought of in big terms and where seeking this time is dependent on the sun and the clearness of the day as far as activities and in achieving goals. I refer to this as finding one’s “Wild Space.” This article sums up my sentiment, in particular:
So many of us live lives that are disconnected from meaningful contact with fellow human beings, from a touch that heals, from nature, from the sacred. And yet there is something in us that responds to the call of the wild. The minute that we are in the woods, by a body of water, next to a mountain, listening to the wind in the desert, something in our hearts responds to the beauty and acknowledges the majesty.
I decided to enact this sentiment. Last fall, I was frustrated by the busyness of the past summer and had not exercised my “Wild Space” enough. I resolved to do as many day hikes the following season as I could, for I found it as my favorites means to relax and appreciate beauty. While the outcomes from hiking are not entirely in my control, the decision to go is within my volition. It is up to me to judge if it is suitable to hike, as well as planning for the proper gear and provisions depending upon the length of the hike.
And indeed, this has been a great exercise, and not just physically. I’ve appreciated the intentionality as far as planning. Knowing myself and really wanting to have that “getting away experience” for the spaces to be more wild has taught me to research those hikes that are more off the beaten path, and being patient with a little extra travel and occasionally having to traverse rustic roads. Nonetheless, the beauty has been worth it, taking it all in silence or a yell for joy when the landscape is awe-inspiring. So as not to have a repeat of 127 Hours, I have at least one hiking buddy, and the bonds formed in those hours of solitude and conversation alike are truly meaningful. In some ways, it has also been an exercise in group dynamics, as I bring people together from disparate parts of my everyday life.
And when I can’t get that whole day to “get away,” I seek to find my “Wild Space” in my own backyard. I do this in a number of ways, reminders of that desire to get away while still embracing the routines that cannot be avoided. I volunteer with Depave, a non-profit that converts parking lots into green spaces. While it is not as expansive as heading into the mountains, the rivers, or the coast, it is nonetheless recognition of nature and reclaiming the land before it was developed. It is not so much a forced imposition of the wilderness but instead a whetting of one’s desire to be in nature, to spur one to go out and see more. There is so much satisfaction in removing the pavement and in turn restoring that little bit of nature. In addition, the physical labor reminds me of how much energy it takes for restoration.
So as summer winds down, and the chill is more and more noticeable at night, I consider ways to maintain that “Wild Space” mentality, to not be hampered by the more difficult weather conditions, but instead to find that time, even it requires more perseverance or planning. But to remain in continuity with nature and having that “Wild Space”, in even less than ideal conditions, is simply a constant reminder of time and how to prioritize, so then I can feel that I am living life in full…
