Monday, I left our two teenage kids to drive 15 hours with my husband to spend several days hunting, which is something I have paid so little attention to during the 2 decades we have been married.
I am so outside my comfort zone that I even forgot to bring my passport. And my sweet husband decided not to mention anything before we were at the border. Just for the fun of it… But of course, he thought of everything.
The other day I was totally overwhelmed by the fact that our teenage kids agreed to manage everything by themselves for a week, while we are going away to spend time with each other. That is no small thing! And in return we hope to give them a couple of parents who will love and honor each other till death do us apart, as we once promised.
We had to split the 15-hour drive in two and spend the night in Bratislava. As we woke up on the second morning of our hunting trip to Slovakia, I went through the non-perfume ceremony! Wild boar appears to have an excellent nose and can smell you from miles away if you’re not careful to avoid perfume. Before we left home Michael washed all the hunting clothes and packed it separately.
Toothpaste is allowed if you promise to breathe through your nose the rest of the day… No just kidding. But it was an eye opener that I only had one beauty product without perfume. So today I will smell like… me, and really appreciate the new cap!
In an hour we will arrive at the hunting area to meet our hosts.
It could be at another planet… I am getting more and more aware that I am a rookie when it comes to hunting, and my hope is whatever happens, that I don’t scare the animals away, get run over by a pig six times my size or in some other way ruin the day!
Six hours later: We were welcomed with breakfast accompanied by the characteristic sounds of peacocks and turkeys, 50 year old traditional snaps and amazing Slovakian wine at nine o’clock in the morning!
Usually, I am always cold but not today! Alcohol provides excellent internal heat… We are overwhelmed by the hospitality and the day have been filled with laughter and stories, trying to understand the differences between Danish and Slovakian hunting, laws, food, traditions etc.
In contrast to that we are now enjoying the quiet beauty of the forest from a tree stand. Grateful not to get run over by a pig this time. No words at all. Hardly moving either but it took me at least an hour to find the peace I needed to sit still. Developing our own sign language. Watching a flock of deer with two calves passing 4 meters underneath my feet. Half an hour goes by without any action, just a text that says he loves me. Birds singing an unfamiliar song. Other small birds running up the stem of a tree like it was lying down. The wind is softly rocking the tree I am in. Luckily, I already had a nap…
Suddenly a group of pigs are approaching but they are catching our scent and disappear again. Two does are circling around beneath us feeding on the corn on the ground. Like thunder from a clear sky, they are chased away by a group of bachelor moufflons taking over the “restaurant”. Next moment they are gone. So unreal!
I get it. Nowhere else in my life do I give myself permission to be quiet and present at the same time. This is medicine for the mind and soul. Doing nothing but still with a purpose. How unique this is. In a week we will return home as the healthiest souls with sore butts from sitting for hours. But that is a price I am willing to pay. My soul and my marriage are worth it!
