A Definition of "Camping"

A friend of mine was recently sharing his excitement over a recent "camping" trip. He said that he had always wanted to go camping and had finally gotten the chance. I wanted to share his excitement, so I asked where he went. It turned out that his "camping" trip was to a retreat center with cabins, beds, showers, and a dining room. When he said this, I quickly pointed out, "That's not camping!"

To me, camping is sleeping in tents--on the ground--with the mosquitoes--and you cook your own food. To some people that sounds like torture. To me, it's awesome (minus the mosquitoes). There's just something about setting up tents, going on hikes, and looking at the beautiful stars that gives an unparalleled chance of relaxation. However, this does not sound very relaxing to everyone.

So what is camping, really? What is a definition that everyone would agree with? I guess that it's a chance to get away from the business of life and explore the wonderful nature that God has created. It's a chance to talk with friends and family (not coworkers) face to face (not on the phone or computer). It's a chance to clear your mind and be refreshing, as well as reflecing on the big picture of life and identifying some small steps you could take to make it better.

So even though I don't share the same specific picture of camping as others might, I do affirm the need for getting away and taking some time to relax. It may just be that we all relax in different ways.