Campfire Story #1: The Boxer Shorts Run
I was so wrapped up in life that I forgot to change into my running shorts. Halfway through my run, I realized I was running in my boxers!
Fortunately, they were dark blue and mostly covered by my T-shirt, so no harm done...
Imagine it—a retired Army officer and Ranger preparing to embark on one of the biggest adventures of his life, accidentally deploying in his underwear.
What struck me wasn't the mistake. A week ago, I probably would have been embarrassed. Today, I just laughed. Maybe that's progress.
As the Fire Dies Down...
Maybe healing isn't when you stop making mistakes.
Maybe healing is when you stop letting every mistake define you... and instead allow it to become part of the story that carried you to a better place.
Campfire Story #2: The Test of Time
Time doesn't magically make things true.
Time exposes what was true all along.
Patience
Real patience isn't passive.
It's active without being forceful.
A farmer isn't passive while waiting for harvest.
He prepares the soil.
Plants.
Waters.
Pulls weeds.
Then...
He waits.
Patience is confidence that reality doesn't need to be rushed.
Trust
It's not just about trusting other people.
It's about trusting the process of life itself.
Whatever unfolds...
I'll meet it.
You're no longer trusting outcomes.
You're trusting your capacity.
Letting Things Unfold
Some things reveal themselves only after you've stopped trying to manufacture them.
Understanding What Matters Endures
Character.
Friendship.
Integrity.
Love.
Purpose.
Truth.
What matters endures.
What is real does not fear time.
It is revealed by it.
Campfire Story #3: The Blank Postcard
A postcard sent from one of the most beautiful places on earth... sent after a few beers and a whiskey tasting.
Intended to say: "I'm excited to see you and make memories!"
Arrives blank... lol
Sometimes the message matters more than the words.
Campfire Story #4: Man's Best Friend
I unexpectedly made a new best friend. My good friend's dog, Scout, took a liking to me. He'd come lay next to me, often leaning into me or giving me his dog kisses in appreciation & love.
He was happiest when on the adventure. Even if he didn't always hit the trail with us. He simply wanted to be a part of it.
Scout didn't know I was on a grand expedition shakeout, where I had been, or what I had done. He didn't care. He simply recognized and experienced a good human... and for reasons only Scout knows, he decided I was his person for those moments.
Sometimes connection simply recognizes connection. There is something special about earning the trust of an animal. They don't care about your story. They simply respond to your presence.
Campfire Story #4: Bad Mood Bison
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There we were, maybe 200 feet from an angry snorting bison. We had pulled off to see a herd of bison next to the road in Hayden Valley in Yellowstone. One lone big male buffalo stood on the hilltop snorting and stirring up dust. My friend Lisa said, "He's angry!" It wasn't long after that he suddenly turned and made a beeline towards us a full run. After I realized he wasn't stopping, I yelled to Lisa, "Get in the Jeep" as we hopped in a quickly fired it up hoping to avoid another buffalo-human ragdoll incident.
It was a little intense in the moment, but we looked back on it and laughed. It will be forever remembered as the Bad Mood Bison incident where we, too, almost became a meme!
The bison wasn't angry at us. He was simply being a bison.
Campfire Story #5: The Journey
I left home thinking I was testing an Expedition. I discovered the Expedition was testing me.
I planned campsites, destinations, gear, logistics, workouts, and systems...
And the journey introduced uncertainty, loneliness, adaptation, vulnerability, connection, beauty, discomfort, and unexpected lessons.
You can prepare for where you're going, but you can't prepare for what you'll experience along the way. That's life.
The mosquitos didn't care about my comfort.
The weather didn't care that I wanted to be outside.
And reality didn't care what my plan was.
Maybe the purpose of the journey isn't to arrive as the person you imagined becoming. Maybe it's the courage to meet and embrace the person you become along the way.
I asked myself before I left... who is Scott when all of the structure is removed? I think the Expedition shakeout gave me a preview.
I'm a man who still wants connection. A man who still seeks adventure. A man who still has room to grow. A man who still gets emotional. A man who still can laugh at himself and his circumstances. A man who still gets surprised. And most importantly, a man that chooses forward movement.
That's actually a pretty good discovery.
And the real expedition hasn't even started yet.
This expedition isn't about escaping the old chapter of my life. It's about fully embracing my next one.
The journey continues...