Thoughts of a Modern-Day Mountain Man:A Field Guide to Leadership in the Great Outdoors Chapter 30

This is the thirtieth of a weekly blog series that will focus on leadership in the outdoors and how to get the most from the least. Even though the title is called, “Thoughts of a Modern-Day Mountain Man”, it will hopefully cover topics that are useful to everyone.

Chapter 30: Take time to stop and smell the flowers.

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.” - John Muir

I believe there aren’t many things in nature as entertaining or as full of merriment as a mountain wildflower. The way they exhibit their bright, vivid colors, intricate designs, and dance in the perpetual mountain wind makes them some of the most amazing creations that God gave mankind for enjoyment. It is imperative for the modern-day mountain man to take time to stop and smell the wondrous flowers. Most of the previous chapters have focused on the serious and important nature of being a leader at a camp, education or conference center, but it is also important to have a daily reminder of why we chose this profession in the first place, and that was because it brings us joy, fun, and happiness.

Human beings were created with an innate sense of exploration and discovery, with a key component of both of those things being entertainment. The mountain men of yesteryear were certainly interested in the prospect of immense wealth and material gain, but first and foremost it was a venture that promised and delivered on a life of good times with their fellow mountain men and women.

Some of my greatest and most profound memories came from the laughs and enjoyment I have experienced over my years of working with some real characters at camp programs. I cannot go into detail in this chapter, but one of the hardiest and most fulfilling laughs I have ever had came from a campfire skit involving two fellow staff members acting like cowboys, using two chairs as their horses and one hundred and twenty boisterous sixth-grade students watching. I still think back to that skit and have a good chuckle. One of the highlights of all the education and camp programs with which I have been involved included doing a campfire program on the last night of a school's outdoor education program. For two, three, four or even five days, the students and the staff at a visiting school mostly only saw our serious side, with the education component of the program receiving the full weight of our professional abilities. At the closing evening campfire program, the seriousness came to an abrupt screeching halt. The songs, skits and stories were completely nonsensical and the only intentions were to have fun and produce laughter. These campfires will always hold a special place in my heart as it always brought each program to a close on a high note. As a bonus attribute, being able to do an entertainment program like this with true friends always brings out a spirit of camaraderie and genuineness amongst already close staff. Having done many campfire programs over the years with Mrs. Modern-day Mountain Woman and other close lifelong friends will always serve as a reminder of the shinin’ times in the mountains.

I have always believed that play is a very important and essential part in the learning process for students of all ages. Any education or camp program that takes itself too seriously and doesn’t allow intentional time for play, laughter, and entertainment is surely destined for failure. This doesn’t imply that all playtime has to be structured or planned, but sometimes in a fully action-packed schedule, we have to take time to stop and smell the proverbial flowers. By simple observations in nature, we can learn the value of the importance of play, exploration and unstructured free-time on the cognitive and physical development of most of God’s creatures. There is often much work to be done in the Animal Kingdom, some of it a matter of life-and-death, but time is still reserved to have fun and enjoy God’s great creation.

A Field Full of Flowers.

It is also important for leaders of all abilities to remember to allow others to see you having fun and enjoying life. When my family and I moved to the great state of Oregon to work for the Girl Scouts the first four months were quite stressful, with much to be learned and accomplished in a short amount of time. I specifically remember my supervisor, who to this day is still one of the greatest outdoor leaders I have ever encountered, asking me to lead a campfire program for her and all of the other year-round staff in the entire Girl Scout Council during an overnight all-staff retreat at one of the camp facilities. I quickly enlisted the help of another staff member that had worked for me at an outdoor education program in Colorado, and together we put on a two-hour show for the hundreds of staff. They absolutely loved it! After the retreat concluded, I had so many staff come to me and tell me they had no idea I had such a great sense of humor. They had only observed my serious side while I was trying to learn a new position and work for a completely new employer, as I certainly was not a Girl Scout growing up. I wished I had done something similar earlier because after that campfire program, my relationship with all of the other staff was profoundly changed and our relationships were more cordial and open to fun casual conversation.

When we look at some of the amazing, complex, and whimsical creatures in the natural world, we cannot help but come to the conclusion that God has a tremendous sense of humor and He wants us to find great enjoyment in what was created. In conclusion, it is vital to remember to take time to enjoy God’s creation for mankind. Do not get so focused on the seriousness of leadership that you forget to slow down, look around, and find the entertainment value that is in front of the modern-day mountain man every day, everywhere.