Nature called. I sent it to voicemail.

It’s funny, isn’t it?
We spend weeks — sometimes months — planning our great escape to the outdoors. We check gear lists twice, obsess over forecasts, charge batteries, tie leaders, coordinate with the group chat, and convince our bosses that “Friday off” is really just “deep work in nature.”

And by the time we finally get there — after all the prep, packing, late nights, and early mornings — we’re wrecked.

So when that 5:00 a.m. alarm buzzes and the tent’s still warm, sometimes the most natural thing to do… is nothing. You roll over, listen to the birds, and tell yourself you’ll hit the water “after a quick nap.” That nap lasts two hours. The fish don’t mind.

Because the truth is, getting out here was the hard part. You answered the call when you loaded the truck, when you drove the miles, when you left the noise behind. So if Nature’s calling again and you let it ring a few times — that’s not laziness. That’s balance.

Sometimes the best way to connect with the outdoors… is to not pick up right away.