John Paul Strong

Sometimes It’s Just Time to Go Hunting

Young red deer standing in forest in autumn. Watch tower in background

As things get busier throughout the year, I always seem to find less and less time to do things I want to do. There are always new commitments, new projects, and new needs across everything both in my personal life and in my career. But as the job gets busier, I seem to find that, occasionally, it’s time to go hunting.

I’m leaving this afternoon, the sun is out after many days of rain, and the weather has turned cold, so the deer should be moving. I’m taking my kids, who have now found a real sense of loving to hunt, and I’m going to spend the afternoon – when I really should be working – taking time to spend with them doing something that we’ve all really grown to love, and that is hunting.

Now, we may be successful and shoot a big deer. We may not be successful. We may just sit there and freeze. But it will be an afternoon doing something I really enjoy with the people closest to me. Even when the world gets crazy, even when you don’t feel like your head is above water, even when everything doesn’t seem like it will go on without you – remember that sometimes it’s just time to go hunting.