June 29, 2001  -  Primal Need  - 
Fairbanks, Alaska

Plucked from the edge of the world, whisked over the Brooks Mountains and plunked down in Fairbanks, I feel like an astronaut returning from space. Upon re-entry into civilization, I'm rejuvenated. Being in the wilderness is like being on a different planet -- one free from work deadlines, road rage, noise and air pollution, telemarketers, societal stress and urban sprawl. In the wilderness, life snaps into perspective. You find out how little you need to survive. There are no schedules to keep. It's just you and the elements.

There is wild in all of us -- it's just been pummeled into the dark recesses of our beings by the fabricated trappings of the modern world. Wilderness helps us re-connect with our primal selves. It reminds us that we are strong. For every day in the wild, I feel like I've given my soul a deep sleep. We need wilderness. Even if we never visit it, our souls need to know it's there. It's a part of us, and without it, we're incomplete.


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