My children's birthdays are seven days apart. At the end of August our family marks the occasions with balloons, cake, and fun. This year our celebrations differed from the norm. My daughter's birthday arrived while her brother was away at camp. Two days later we loaded up our car and drove her to university, the start of her third year. The next day our son returned from camp and before celebrating his special day, the two of us headed to the back-country of Algonquin park to spend a few days paddling, portaging, and camping.
Our interior Algonquin adventure happened to be the longest time we've been alone together without digital distractions. It also happened to be one of my most meaningful father-son experiences. Other than thunder, lightning, and rain on our first night, our trip was relatively obstacle free. We navigated our way across lakes and along trails with relative ease. Finding our campsites was also a breeze, including one that made it into my "top five all time back-country sites" list.
We spent a lot of time setting up, cooking, planning, and paddling. We also made time for swimming and conversations about school, friends, faith, and the afterlife. I felt more relaxed and rested than I have in months. It's amazing what being outside, disconnected from news, cell reception, and concerns of life did for our souls. I'm so grateful to God for those few days away with one of my favourite people.
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