I can’t begin to try to describe my feelings when I look at the stars, and it’s only magnified out here where the sky is so bright that each star takes on its own individual identity. The literal sparkling iridescences is hard to describe as the stars dance and change color so bright that it may help to have sunglasses. I lay there asking the same questions as all people that came before me have asked, their stardust bodies inspired by distant lights are felt with me. The closest wording I can come up with to describe this feeling is genetic memory. I can’t understand it, but maybe that is what my definition of genetic memory ends up being. Something to do with the stars and this wonderful universe that is impossible to understand, I’m happy to be a part of it.

Today was a wash. We knew there would be at least one rain day, the weathermen had forecasted it weeks ahead of time and probably the reason for so much of my tarp talk. I had been looking forward to this rain day, thinking it would be a good day to do some writing and chores around camp, but what I had forgotten is how dreary rain days around camp make you feel.

Everything got moist. Our tarp over the cook shack held nicely, but it quickly became claustrophobic and felt cramped sitting under the green canopy. While out fishing, I noticed that our camp neighbors had to readjust their tarp to make room to stay underneath as well. Its funny, before the rainstorm it looked like a really cool setup and I took mental notes how to make it, but quickly erased them after figuring it looked cooler than the practicality it provided. Even with a tarp and rain fly over the tent and a tarp under the tent, water still found a way in our set up as well. The tent wasn’t an escape from the all-day soaker and our clothes and sleeping bags paid the price.

Back home rain is calming. Its way too comfortable, convenient, to have a stable roof over your head, a way to heat your house, and an ample supply of food to eat on a Netflix binge. It’s much too easy to take that for granted. Try looking into a fire, any fire, and tell me that doesn’t mean more to you than logs burning. Whether it is a bonfire back home, or a fire out in the wilderness it signals the same sensations and feelings in me. Security, warmth, dry, more genetic memories. 

Dry is most welcome after a day like today. The rain seems to have finally blown through. I hope tomorrow we can dry our life.