Life Rafts

Most driveways or side yards in my neighborhood play host to travel trailers, several nice fishing boats, one super ski boat and one monster travel trailer. Given the long winters here in Central Oregon, most sit idle at least nine months of the year.

While it might seem a colossal waste of money…which on one level it is…I’ve come to believe those toys are psychic life rafts…symbols of freedom and the power to escape the ordinary. Somehow, it’s almost as important to know they stand ready for use as it is to put them to actual use. Even if they do sit idle most of the time.

In fact, some of us only use our toys when our conscience bothers us over neglect. I don’t know how many times I’ve thought, “If I don’t start using the boat, I’m going to sell it.” Which I’ve done…only to replace it as quickly and as expensively as I could.

Right now I’m dreaming about another camp trailer to replace the one we sold last year. I have this vision of our new trailer parked at Delintment Lake, lawn chairs by the fire pit, a golden mantle squirrel stuffing it’s jaws with peanuts (unsalted), while I watch trout rising on the still surface of the lake. Nah. Too much trouble. Besides, the last time I camped there, it rained hard for three days. But I could take the boat and…

I’ve also come to believe we have other psychic life rafts…maybe travel plans for a magic adventure “next year.” We look at pictures on-line, check prices, figure out schedules, look at our vacation leave balances…calculate the cost…dream…feel the joy. It keeps us going…even if we don’t follow through.

A good book by a favorite author is another psychic life raft. At least it is for me. And my good wife is already thinking about the annual Thanksgiving dinner, and she is also looking at potential Christmas gifts for the grandkids. That’s two of her psychic life rafts.

What’s yours?

Rod