Les filles des bois

It’s the simple things that make us happy, right?

Easier said than done!

Sometimes you need to remove everything else – or remove yourself from all the noise of everyday life – in order to be reminded that it doesn’t take much to be happy. 

In the midst of our chaotic, hurried and stimulated lives, we can easily become oblivious to what ultimately leads to our happiness. We can be distracted by so many things, making our heads spin and blurring the lines between needs and wants.

Social media has allowed us to be connected in a way that we never were before. I can’t admonish it completely – I value its ability to allow me to stay in contact with far away family members and connect with old friends. It also gives me a forum to share my blog, where I share my personal experiences navigating life’s paths, road blocks and crossroads. I do so with the intent of reminding myself of lessons learned and to embrace certain philosophies. I also wanted to share these thoughts and to connect with others so as to create a community of empathy. But ultimately, it’s also about the pursuit of happiness: mine and everyone who I reach through the blog.

Because we all want to be happy, right?

Happiness in 2022 can seem like such an elusive thing. It is also very personal and variable, depending on circumstances and situations. But quite often the thing getting between us and our happiness is unfortunately ourselves and our modern-day lifestyles.

A powerful reminder of this came to me from les filles des bois who just had THE vacation of their lifetime. This statement comes from them and they have graciously allowed me to use their story) – it’s their words, not mine. 

My daughter Olivia and her friend Fanny (a.k.a. les filles des bois) just completed their “piste séniore” at Camp Tékakwitha^[1]. This meant 17 days on the Appalachian Trail (the “AT”) in the state of Maine with 8 other girls and 2 animators. Olivia and Fanny were the oldest at 18 years old – having had to delay the senior experience by 2 years because of the pandemic. This summer, the camp was finally able to reopen after being shut down by Covid-19 for 2 years. The camp, having to make some serious adjustments and decisions, allowed the older teens to come back and finish what they had started so many years ago.

Admittedly, les filles des bois were a bit weary to go back as campers – after all, they were old enough to be hired as staff and the age gap with their animators was marginal. The other girls who they had grown up going to camp with every summer for the past 8 years had all moved on: summer jobs and internships, European vacations and boyfriends all topping the list of reasons to skip going back to camp. They had turned the page on their carefree childhood summers at camp.

But with a few good conversations, some soul searching and the stars being aligned, les filles des bois made up their minds to go, get that last bar^[2] on their Amulets and finish the entire AT in the state of Maine, ending their 17-day adventure by summitting the notorious Mount Katahdin. 

The physical demands of the trek are a feat for even those who are in good shape. The girls are carrying around at least a third of their body weight on their backs and walking anywhere from 10-20 km a day. 

The psychological demands add another dimension entirely. They must embody the leave no trace philosophy – carrying in and carrying out everything they need to survive for those 17 days. They must deal with whatever weather comes their way. They have to deal with bugs and dirt and trail food. They have to deal with emergency situations – les filles des bois had 2 girls in their group leave for medical reasons – having to organise trail exits and redistributing the supplies. Plainly put – you cannot be a slacker, nor a princess…and whining will get you nowhere. 

But despite all of the discomforts – or maybe because of them – les filles du bois had the best vacation ever. They were truly happy. They said shortly after arriving at camp, they felt like they could really breathe for the first time in a long time. 

Why? 

No cell phones, no social media, no make-up, no fashion concerns, no fake friends, no FOMO, no Netflix, no Snapchat…

None of the daily noise that engulfs almost every young adult in 2022. 

And despite the lack of all of those modern conveniences that most adolescents (and let’s face it, adults as well) can’t imagine living without – les filles des bois were happy, truly happy. 

They realized that all they need to be really happy is relatively minimal: a solid back pack, a comfy sleeping back, a decent pair of hiking boots and some Nutella and spices to make anything edible. 

And most importantly, each other.

The bond between these girls is now cemented. They had to depend on each other to survive, but moreover they had to let go of all the fancy packaging and show their true selves to each other. Life and living with no filter needed.

Connecting with nature and disconnecting with everything else is essentially food for the soul. It is also a powerful reminder of how distorted our vision of happiness has become in 2022. 

Merci les filles des bois d’avoir partager votre histoire – je l’adore, je suis fière de vous et je vous aime. Merci au Camp Tékakwitha d’avoir continuer d’offrir ce beau cadeau – la nature et l’amour au fond des bois – aux enfants et aux parents. Continuer de gravir pour grandir! 

Happy trails!

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^[1] http://campdevacances.com

^[2] Each year of their adolescence, the kids who go to Camp Tékakwitha complete a certain portion of the Appalachian trail starting with 4 days, 7 days, 10 days and finishing their senior year with 17 days, so that over the course of those 4 summers they will cover the entire Appalachian trail in the state of Maine.