I fell in love with the great outdoors when I was in Scouts.
No matter how many times our camps were rained out, or I cut myself whittling, I kept coming back to the rainforests and mountaintops that dominate my home province of British Columbia. I felt safe there. Everything made sense. And sometimes there were girls.
When I went to university, my love of the outdoors took a back seat to my studies. I soon found myself running the student newspaper, which meant I was far too important to spend time on such juvenile pursuits.
It was only once I moved to Toronto for work that I rediscovered my love of getting outside. The pandemic helped with that. I guess it's no surprise that being cooped up for a couple years will reignite your wanderlust.
Now, I get outside every chance I get. Ontario's natural wonders are a lot different than B.C.'s, but they're just as spectacular. I thank my lucky stars every day that I live in a country with such gorgeous views in my backyard.
I'm lucky to be able to combine my passions for writing and the outdoors. Staring at a computer screen isn't so bad when I can dream about the next time I'll be paddling across a glassy Algonquin lake, with no one around but the loons.
