The Most Important Piece of Equipment

GK Chesterton:  “An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered.”

We no longer have a hammock!  The hammock we've had for 10 years technically still sort of worked, but it's one of the old school kind that are like spider webs--the strength of the entire piece rests in the collective power of all those strands:  One strand breaking could lead to 100 failing quickly in an epic rage of twanging strands, landing you flat on your back.

So, we had to retire the hammock.  Of course, I was jonesing to buy a new one, but we have a rule that we only buy ONE new type of equipment every summer, and we already spent our wad on new cots and air mattresses (Thermarest NeoAirs--and they work great--see product review in the blog).

So, no hammock--just chairs to sit in.  I was tempted to feel bad about it, and do the usual rubbernecking as I walked past site after site with their hammocks.  But, instead I decided to just be content with what we have....and it suddenly occurred to me, the most important piece of equipment I have is.....my attitude. So much of camping requires flexibility and positive thinking: If it rains, think about finding a museum or nature center; if you forgot chocolate, make peanut butter smores--all the important stuff of camping is still there: The kids, the silly fun, the fresh air, and so forth. I mean, that inconvenient rain or closed beach or lost shoe might be the start of a great family adventure.

One of my favorite spiritual writers once wrote to his spiritual son, "But godliness with contentment is great gain."

I really like that we have an enforce our one-thing a year only addition to our gear horde, because it teaches us to enjoy what we have--to be content, and to enjoy what really makes a camping trip successful: the outdoors, each other, making memories.  I even took a great nap in the chair my son is in below--even without a hammock!