What is Tent Living Really About?

When I first started living this way, I thought I knew what it was going to be like. After all, I'd done a lot of camping in my life, so I just figured that living this way would be like an extended camping trip.

Turns out I had no idea what I was getting into. Living in a tent has taken me places that I never could have imagined.

When I first started out, I thought this way of life was all about getting my tent set up properly and solving all the technical problems. And it was, for awhile, but soon I got everything worked out. Then, I realized that this way of life was really about living simply and reducing stress. And it was. But then, from that relaxed state of mind, I began to realize that this way of life was really more about reconnecting with Nature, and seeing myself as part of it. So that became the focus of tent living, for awhile, until I began to clearly see that there is an incredible, beautiful, simple and yet complex, awe-inspiring natural order to how all life on this planet behaves and interacts. And from that new vantage point, it became clear that we humans are largely in violation of that natural order, and that we suffer dearly for that. So I became a "tentvangelist" for awhile, spreading the good news about tent living! Until I finally had to acknowledge that I would probably never "convert" even a single modern human to this way of life.

And now, after nearly three years of living this way, I see that tent living is about living freely, and being true to ourselves, and staying close to God.

Living in a tent has been an incredible journey. It's been a winding road, with new surprises around every bend. And surprisingly, tent living isn't really about tents at all. It's about living. Living close to nature, without the distractions of electrical devices. Living without a "to do" list. Living without debt, and without the need for full-time employment. Living a healthy life in which you are rich in time and free to pursue your gifts and passions. It's about being free, and living the way God intended us all to live.

I've journeyed pretty far down this road now, and I'm getting further away from civilization all the time. I'm pretty sure this is a solo journey, since new recruits are hard to come by. So I'll just keep reporting from the other side, and keep hoping that maybe, someday, a struggling soul will have the courage and faith to take the leap, and find their own way to freedom.