Get kids outside. Take them out and let them wander around in the woods. Let them canoe across a lake. Let them backpack through a mountain range. Give them a map and compass assignment. Give frustrated youth an opportunity to challenge themselves in the natural world.
Have you ever heard of a school shooter who’s hobbies are kayaking, rock climbing, and fly-fishing? If that seems absurd – and it does seem absurd to me – we might be onto something. I don’t think that those hobbies can create a school shooter. There’s just something abut the natural world that defuses anger.
I know this because the outdoors helped saved my life. An outdoor diversion program for troubled teens started the process when I was sixteen. Camping and hiking and climbing helped me mature further as a nineteen and twenty year old. And now, as the director of a high school outdoor program, one of my student leaders said recently that “the outdoor program saves lives.”
That’s not me. That’s nature. Kids need the outdoors.
Help the young people. Get them outside.
Peter Brown
Hoffmeister wrote this in a post on his personal blog-firstly intended for the
Huffington Post-concerning school shootings. My girlfriend, Natalie, sent me
this article a couple weeks ago. I asked her why she sent it to me and if she
thought I played too many violent video games (read the full article here for a better understanding of his view on violent video games). Her
response: "Reminded me of your writing style."
I became curious
about Mr. Hoffmeister. I enjoyed the piece Natalie sent to me and I felt
encouraged to be find a similar writing style. Hell, even the blog was white lettering with a black background. I quickly found a cease to the similarities for Hoffmeister was much more experienced, much wiser, and exponentially a better writer. More importantly, I discovered
that Hoffmeister was a deep thinker with a good deal of wisdom to share. From
the sounds of it, the statement that "the outdoors helped saved [his]
life" isn't just a bullet point to prove a point but an homage to an
enduring principle in his life. Hoffmeister is an avid rock climber among other than things.
The National Park
Service has provided a perfect opportunity to do just what Hoffmeister suggests
and get kids outside. This week from April 22 to April 26 the National Park
Service is waiving entrance fees to all National Parks. According to the NPS every
American is within 100 miles of a National Park. So get to it.
Now, I considered
kidnapping my nieces and nephew to add to the fun. (Secretly, I just wanted to
become a junior ranger). But the truth of the matter is adults need to get
outside more too. Hoffmeister points out that there is just something about the
outdoors that just defuses anger. Couldn't this train of thought be applied to
problems within the home, large and small? And to our own personal problems?
As for me, I have
plenty of personal problems that I feel could be helped by natural world. It
may not solve my problems, granted, but it will offer clarity and peace of
mind. Fortunately for me I live in the state with the second most national
parks, California. The only state to have more is that precious preserved
frontier, Alaska. I consider myself even more fortunate for growing up in the
state that comes in number three: Utah. Not to mention, I visited Denali
National Park in Alaska one summer.
This is not intended
to be a puff piece about the National Park Service. Rather it is a call to get
outside. Something I need to do more. Something I need to do a lot more. I once
relished in the simple hike or outdoor adventure. Somehow that all got away
from me. It still evades me more often than not. The natural world inspires,
invigorates, and energizes. And yet I give in to those things which dumb me
down, depresses me, and demotivates me.
