Put Me In Coach, I'm Ready

Do you ever feel like there is a part inside of you that somehow got missed in you life? No, I'm not talking about the God-shaped hole or anything so cliche. Rather, an aspect of your make-up that seems to be every bit a part of you and yet has had no outlet or nurturing in the life you've lead so far. Perhaps you have a drive to play music or sing, but have never been surrounded by people (family, friends, passers-by) who have shared, encouraged, promoted that side of you. Not that they have stopped you or poo-pooed your efforts, but it just wasn't a part of what you did. No?...me neither...oh wait, I mean yeah, I feel that.

For me it's been an outdoor lifestyle. If you ask me (and others, for that matter) I get most excited talking about camping, hiking, climbing, canoeing, etc, and yet this has been a relatively small part of my life (relative to how much I would like to be doing, that is). Growing up in central Alberta with the mountains 3-4 hours away and an excrutiating lack of water, my family wasn't really into camping or hiking and certainly not any of the other, more extreme sports. On the same hand (is that a viable expression?) most of my friends' idea of camping was a kegger in the bush.

Every time I partake of outdoory goodness I feel alive and that this is what my life should be comprised of and yet it seems foreign. It seems like such a huge part of my character and such a small part of my actual life. Now, I reallize (thanks Erika) that I am by no means old or washed up or out of time. I realize that I can still head in this direction, I'm simply looking at the "fact sheet" of my life and on paper I'm an outdoor enthusiast, while on the field I have a lot of gear that is nowhere near its potential usage marker.

...or maybe this is all just an attempt to steal some of Rach's carthartic blog love-in.