Saturday, December 23, 2006
the.outdoors.and.meto modify a favourite quote of mine...
"The outdoors is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, it has no survival value, rather it gives value to survival."
To actually signpost the start of my "outdoor journey" would be impossible because there wasn't exactly a point where I decided to formally engage in the outdoors or whatsover. It was more of an extended period of loving and enjoying it, intentionally or not, before culminating in this trip. A possible beginning of the end or end of the beginning.
A significant experience outdoors would be Outward Bound in Sec 3. Although everyone was forced to go for it, till today, I find that it boasts one of the most unforgettable memories with my sec 3/4 classmates. The experience of carrying those heavy backpacks, showering in a toilet devoid of light and pitching tents to the accompaniment music of Gerard's swearing. Certainly, some of the funniest stories, most impactful experiences and goofiest moments occur in the outdoors. Much can be said of the camps in NPCC as well. Nothing beats recounting a shit funny anecdote of camping or expedition life. The close fellowship of great friends, the feeling of being freed from day-today routines was probably the very first draw of the outdoors and camping life.
My journey into ODAC was partially driven by a promise of similar fellowship, partially foolish shortsightedness and partially Hobson's choice. Much of my influence to join ODAC came from my officer in NPCC, who was a batch 16 odacian, from his recounts of the friendships and bonds unbreakable forged in ODAC. Foolish shortsightedness in the impulsive belief i placed in ODAC. I was viewing it more as a CCA with great people and tremendous fun rather than a larger opportunity to step into the outdoors. In other words, it seemed to be Outdoors Activities Club, with the outdoors in a much smaller font. Hobson's choice in the sense that I couldn't see myself doing anything else in another CCA like sports or a club. That inexplicable picture of myself fitting nicely in an outdoor club could be the very first, albeit weak, attraction to the outdoors.
For most of the school population, odacians ware perhaps seen as an odd bunch of people - a group that loves being dirty, sleeping in tents and eating crap food. Engaging in the outdoors is sadly viewed as something for a crazy minority. It's quite curious how our attitude towards the outdoors is somewhat warped. Many people believe that going out into the outdoors is like going out into an unthinable new world and for that many of them, they would try their very best to stay away from it and remain put in their "natural habitats" - their schools, homes or Orchard Roads. But isn't the outdoors our natural habitat and the cities we live in the artificial one? I guess it's quite a loss for us to see the apartments of 1000sq feet as the natural de facto environment and everyone beyong it as artificial and inferior.
The very first phase of my outdoor life was perhaps feeling comfortable in the outdoors - simply not being afriad of the dirt, getting sweaty and doing stupid things, eating fried rice with sand. BTC and MAC was quite a breeze because I was blessedly comfortable outdoors. Hence, for the initial period outdoors and in ODAC, I viewed the outdoors as a place to chill with friends and have good fun.
As the activities we undertook became more challenging like sea kayaking long distances during JEX and the great CCAL camp, I began to realise that the outdoors was a great place for personal dvelopment. This unknowing transition from seeing the outdoors as a playground to a classroom was the second phase of my outdoor journey. I benefited much from it and also firmly believed that the outdoors taught much more that no other teacher could. For the outdoor buffet, I was particularly keen on sharing experiences and lessons learnt in the hope that everyone could leave believing in the outdoors as a classroom.
The past 12 days have certainly unveiled and indulged me to a new phase and aspect of the outdoors. By having us spend extended periods of times just being with nature instead of pursuing a goal, it made me realise that spiritual aspect of nature. The sense of a connection with the land, to hear the deafening silence of the mountains, to feel the tranquil calm of the still waters, to taste the dryness of the air and heat, to hide in the cover of the shade and to see the splendour of a cloudless sky. All that and more to reflect on the beauty of Creation. As ineffable the expierence was, a close summary of this phase would be a spectacular appreciation of nature. AS the quote of my cover goes, "If God took time to create beauty, how could we be too busy to appreciate it?" The pace of this trip really made it a point to remind ourselves that we must never be too busy for Nature.
In a country like Singapore, it is very easy to believe that what is around us is our natural habitat and that is all there is to the world out there. But when you stare at the mountains millions of years old, when you see the caves that could have been full of coral reefs, when you hear of how ancient people lived out their land, you realise that our very small world is all but a speck in the vastness of all nature.
Previously I always believed the company, not the place or activity truly mattered. Whether we were kayaking or climbing, as long as fun people were around it would be good. But this trip made me realise that the place, animals, and plants are not merely part of the background. They are all worthy of being part of the foreground; they are all important as well. And it is important to know and understand them, and marvel at the intricate ways in which they work in.
At the end of the day, this trip achieved much in uncovering a third aspect of nature and the outdoors. That it was not a place for mere exploitation - a venue to satisfy our needs - but truly it was just a place to be in and be a part of.
It does not mean, however, that this aspect of the outdoors is more important than the other two - of having fun and of personal development. It was just something new and never consciously expereinced before and we should henceforth make an effort to incorporate it with whatever activities we do.
From this moment, what remains is to discover more about the outdoors. To always be seeking, asking, discovering the different ways it can relate to me at different times. At times a playground, at others a school and perhaps even a cathedral. There are infinite things it can be for me and the true adventure would be to discover each and every one of them.
gg loved ODAC at 10:25 PM
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