“I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion.” – Henry David Thoreau
If I were to ever be exiled, I would want it to be to a simple cabin on a lake deep in a pine forest in the north woods. To reach the cabin, I would have to hike down a narrow path for at least a mile, maybe more. The cabin, just a stone’s throw from a lake, would have one room with a stone fireplace and a root cellar underneath the floor. My furniture would be simple- a small bed, a table for meals, and two chairs, one for me and the other for the occasional visitor. A dry sink and small counter would provide ample space to prepare simple meals. A well with a hand pump would provide ample water. My bookshelf would contain works by Thoreau, Emerson, Leopold, Olson, various field guides, and other classics. Light to read by in the dark hours at the end of the day would come from a kerosene lamp and the evening fire.
Outside, a small front porch with a homemade bench would provide a nice resting place from which to watch the rain fall and the sun set. Tied up at the lake, my canoe would be ready at a moment’s notice to set sail in search of a spot to land a walleye or northern pike for dinner. A garden would provide a variety of vegetables to help sustain me through the winter. The woodshed would be stacked full of enough dry wood for the cold days ahead. Oh, and don’t forget the privy.
I would love being there, late on a winter evening, kindling a fresh fire in the hearth, and feeling the warmth begin to fill the cabin. A pot would hang over the fire to warm a little stew and another pot for my tea. The sound of the wind howling in the pines and the cry of a wolf would punctuate the silence. Pulling a wool blanket around my shoulders I would recline in front of the fire. Soon sleep would overtake me and I would doze off into the winter night, in no hurry for the morning.
I have learned that one’s true self is not easy to attain. To find oneself you must cast aside greed, covetousness, material desire, jealousy, anger, and malice. We must then believe on our own and follow our own path. All we think and do must come from our own heart and soul and not from another. This takes strength of character, commitment to principle, and faith in ourselves. To fail in this endeavor is to give ourselves up to the winds of society and our self is cast adrift in the sea.
Perhaps this is just an academic exercise but the more I build this cabin in my mind the more exile doesn’t sound too bad. Until then, I’m off to the woods. I have some business to conduct with solitude.
“And after he had dismissed the crowds, He (Jesus) went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone…” – Matthew 14:23
“The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog.” – Mark Twain
