1) God
2) Spouse
3)Family
4) Work
5) Everything Else
Seems fairly straight forward and for the most part universally accepted. But then life happens. When is it okay to miss family time to stay at work a couple more hours or when do you take the opportunity to slip away by yourself for a few hours and clear your head while, just maybe, wetting a line? The line became further blurred for me when I made fishing and hunting my occupation. Now my work is my hobby. Or is my hobby now my work? It's hard to explain to those who do not guide for a living that being on a guide trip and fishing or hunting for yourself is simply not the same.
"You get to fish all of the time" is a common response I hear when I mention I haven't got to fish myself for a long stretch of time. But until you've spent 30 days in a row, on the water or in the saddle without casting a line or flinging an arrow yourself, I don't think someone can understand that you simply do not get the mind clearing, soul cleansing time that you do when it you versus nature.
Then the questions get tougher. When is it okay to slip away for a few days and chase an elk around the mountains especially if I've just got back from or am getting reading to leave for guide camp? Yes I spent all last week hunting, but I wasn't hunting, I was working. Long 18 hour days in fact with strangers that you have to cater too, and the stress of finding a non hunter an elk to harvest while keeping them safe on a horse, and at camp, and in a blizzard. Sleeping in one morning in the middle wasn't an option because even if some of the hunters where tagged out, some were not. And there were horses to feed and saddle and water and unsaddle and grain. When the hunters were napping there was elk to skin and take care of, horses to feed and water again and lunch to make etc. Even though I got to see an elk at 5 yards scream his head off, that was a 5 minute experience in a 100 hour work week.
And what about booking fishing trips on Sunday? Sunday is the sabbath, but my guide season is only 4 months long so how do you turn down trips? Even Jesus Said "Man was not created for the sabbath, the sabbath was created for man." So it's okay then, right? Or is it because God is number one the list?
These questions plague even the average weekend warrior. I worked all week I don't see the big deal in taking some time on Sunday for myself! All of these things have to remain in balance. You have to have you time. Your spouse needs some you time as well and your kids need some living room WWF time too. The bottom line is I do not believe there is a perfect answer nor a universal one. The "list" is a great starting point and filter but because life happens, it cannot be the be all end all.
Here's what I've tried to think of when I need some me time and it seems to have helped me sort out what's first. Instead of using the "list" I would encourage you to answer these questions:
1) How's your relationship with God right now?
2) How's your relationship with your spouse right now?
3) How's your relationship with your kids right now? parents? siblings?
4) Is there anything at work that can't wait until tomorrow or Monday?
If you can give yourself a B or better on all of these, then go fish!! The bottom line is the answer to the ultimate question is in your heart. Do you feel your marriage is strong? If not maybe it's time to spend a little time doing some repair. Are you and Jesus pretty good bro's right now? You get the idea. Stop beating yourself up about taking some you time. But this only works if you're truly honest with yourself. If one of these areas needs work, maybe combine. Okay I really want to go fish, but my kids haven't seen me much this week so I'm going to drag them along. I know fishing will be tougher but at least I get to go and they get what they need. Or maybe your time in the word this week has been a little off. Okay I promise when I get to the lake I'll spend 30 minutes in it before I launch my boat.
I'm not an expert by an stretch and I still struggle with this all of the time. But, if you hold yourself accountable and you take care of the relationships in your life, I think you might find you have even more time on the water or in the woods and you won't have that nagging guilty feeling when you're out there.
Tight Lines and Shoot Straight
Ryan Johnson
Weekend Warrior Outdoors LLC
www.weekendwarrioroutdoors.com
ryan@weekendwarrioroutdoors.com
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