Show hmm mtM T lursclijlMrgmmL Wilderness Program teaches valuable lessons Melissa Grogaa Sieve Strong you really learn to grow up staff writer In the wilderness you can't go running I have a tendency to over analyze things home to momma Steve helped me to real-- at times especially my life However ize my attitude affected the experience of about a month ago I came to a conclusion everyone else in the group He told me I which I believe is valid In my life 1 often had to expect to have a good experience strive for recognition and as a result I Those words sounded strangely familiar A have deprived myself of endless valuable good friend of mine has been telling me for experiences years "you get what you expect No more and no less” Upon this realization I vowed to change this fact in my life The place I chose to start was the College of Eastern Utah bj part of this program but mjr god of gradu-ating this year took precedence and I socn did away with the idea I have since the decision and therefore came up with the idea of going on a hike in the capacity of a reporter re-gret-ed "smvival With blisters die size of quartos and aching muscles I wasn't quite sure what I had gotten myself into However when I put aside those physical aspects and opened myself to the experience my perception of the trip soon changed Never have I learned so much about myself others and the world around me J jV ' V : v ' t44 T i iv j i'V S ' J- J t W 'I rrfUBrownlTtae -re time wheniaolCejk turn round jr ! Ls ’V 'A 1’ f feVMi v 1 the loudest voice- Never has that voice been so loud for me There is something about being close to nature which makes you contemplate the very basics of life Nature allows you to return to childhood You can get your shoes wet alvy - y i words I goUcodd Ml£3forthefim 1 "w Y ? vvW r ri r tote 1e TS-“dbei"We0f- tmdays was In the words of one wilderness student One of the main focuses of the Wilderness Program is to make students aware of nature and their relationship to it Around the camp fire CEU instructor Jan Minich led a discussion on poems by William Stafford In one poem "Spectator” Stafford writes "Treat the world as if it really existed not your cold what hoods a mountain-il- is 1 Wlldornost students hllod through thf Ecaantt pVOr photo ll by Tam I Davla In reading the Reader's Digest last week I came across an interesting thought In Points to Ponder Patrick Anderson wrote "A village is like a lifeboat you're stuck with one another You must come to terms with people of different outlooks and values people who in a city you might ignoreJThe good news and bad news about village life are the same: you become intimately involved with the lives of other people" Mudmtt Hathlra Shlmada Slava Strong WHIIam Cruz and Shlnlchl Tam Davit orlmoto kaap warn around tho camp lira photo by i ii i p7 i A1 25-m- own cold but the world's Distribute for the multitude this local discovery" This is what the wilderness program is all about allowing its participants lo make that "local discovery" take it home with them and make a difference in their community because of it iM m 1 The same is true for the Wilderness Program You live with your group for a week You really get to know a person what they enjoy how they live and whklhqr believe You learn to appreciate the differences and similarities in people You share a wash on tholr way to discovery and that binds you together in some strange almost spiritual way Cooperation becomes the name game Whenever I was of heights or could not find a foot hold there was a hand above me to pull me up We were of the afraid On our hike another CEU instructor Kent Templeton told us that in attempting to communicate an experience words leak The truth of that statement has never been better demonstrated than in this article In attempting to express my experience something has been low The only way for you to fully understand is lo make your own discovery Put aside some of the pursuits feat crowd life and make room for the experiences One good experience is immensely more valuable than any form of recognition Open yourself up to that type of leaning experience next year's wilderness program is a great place to start |