Time in the Blind

In the Tree House: Time in the Blind

By: Samantha S. Daviss

In today’s day and age we are all moving at such a phenomenal rate, it’s hard just to keep up with ourselves, let alone our kids and still carve out “quality family time”. But I tell you what; complete isolation is the best remedy for that problem.

We recently snuck away for a weekend to our deer lease to enjoy a little Texas Hunting Season, you know the 5^th season in Texas…because here we have winter, spring, summer and fall, and of course Hunting/Football season…so that makes five seasons. And it is always such a great opportunity for us to get away from cell phones, internet, and television, and solely focus on each other, being outside, and having fun.

As we spent the weekend together, I forgot how much I enjoyed the “olden days”, you know about two decades or so ago when cell phones and the internet were obsolete? But thanks to Al Gore (who apparently invented the internet) we have been bombarded, and our brains and bodies are working in overload mode. I really do think we get overloaded with all the new technologies and information being thrown at us from numerous technological portals.

So that is why I always love escaping to the unknown, land of no cell service or internet, on our lease. To not only give me time to focus 100% of my attention on my kids and family, but also on myself. I love nothing more than to sit in the silence of the deer blind and watch the sun rise or set, depending on the hunt time, and enjoying the sounds of absolutely nothing.

I think we all forget what silence really sounds like…the old saying “Silence is Golden”, really has true meaning behind it. We all forget how to just sit in silence and be okay with ourselves without a bunch of people around, and just be alone with our thoughts. And I fear that sometimes that is why we all stay so busy, is to avoid those silent moments in our lives, alone with our selves and our thoughts. But personally, I have found it to be very healing and healthy.

But the flip side of being out on the lease alone, really gives you time to not only reconnect with yourself, but your kids too. I was lucky enough to sit in the blind with my 10 year old one afternoon hunt, and it was a time I will cherish forever. Without any distractions, no TV, no iPods, no cell phones, no iPads, no Xbox…you get the idea. It was just he and I sitting in the blind together, talking.

We talked about school, things that may have been bothering him in life, at home, or at school. We laughed a lot, and we talked a lot. It was my opportunity to stay connected to my son. He and I have a fantastic relationship, we tell each other everything; and this time alone together just reinforced that bond.

He and I also had a lot of fun together too. At one point we got so bored waiting for the feeder to go off, and the deer to come wandering in; that we found a pen in my hunting bag, and we started drawing on each other’s faces. I made a mustache on him, and he gave me a goat T on my chin; then we proceeded to each give one another “earrings”.

So there was maybe a little less hunting going on and a little more laughter and fun. But I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.

There always seems to be time for sports, activities, friends, parties, school work, and all the other stuff that goes on in life, but there never seems to be enough time to just sit together, hang out and talk as a family. So that is my 2013 resolution, is to definitely carve out some “isolation time” for myself and my family, without the interruption of phones and all the other gadgets that we have in our lives.

I realize that not everyone is a hunter, or even a fan of hunting…but if you can afford the luxury of some isolated alone time with yourself and your family, I highly recommend it; even if it’s just in your own backyard.