Survival is Insufficient

Last weekend, I turned 30. I love parties, and I’ve always been one to throw big celebrations to share my birthday with family and friends, but this year I wanted to do something different. Instead of a party, I wanted to go out into the woods.

The plan was simple: rent a canoe, pack my bag, and head deep into the interior of Algonquin Park to be alone and reflect on where my life has taken me. I’ve done canoe-camping trips with groups before, but this would be my first solo adventure. Was I nervous? Maybe not as much as my mom, but having spent the past two years with the ZSC guys I felt confidant that I could survive whatever fate had in store for me.

As soon as I got my canoe in the water, I felt a great sense of peace. Out on a big lake, with the gentle whoosh of my canoe gliding through the water I was both humbled by the grandness of the nature I was surrounded by, but also proud of the inner strength I possessed to be able to go out on a trip all on my own. My campsite was only a 3 hour paddle away, and I got there just after lunch time.

Once I arrived at my campsite, I systematically set up my site. Step 1 - Tent. Step 2 - Bear Hang (I practiced my bow-line knot especially for this). Step 3 - collect firewood. It was great to put into practice all of the skills and knowledge I have learned. Once all of these tasks were finished, I was finally able to sit down, relax, and enjoy the weekend.

Except, once all of the “survival” tasks were accomplished and I finally got a chance to settle down, one surprising emotion swept over me: loneliness. I was completely thrown off by this. The whole point of the trip was to prove that I could survive all on my own, and now that I was doing it, all I wanted was to share this accomplishment with all my friends.

One of my favourite quotes is “Survival is insufficient” (Seven of Nine, Star Trek: Voyager). Alone in the woods, this idea struck me as intrinsically true. Many survivalists and preppers plan for the future with the idea that they will have to survive on their own. This is worse case scenario planning, which I think is short sighted. For me, there is more to survival than just taking care of your basic needs. My mental and emotional survival is dependant on being able to share my triumphs and failures with people, so that we can both learn and grow together.

One of Zombie Survival Camp’s ethos is Community, and it is something we endorse when we meet with other preppers and survivalists. We all believe that together we are stronger, and that survival in and of itself is wholly insufficient.

Thankfully, I did not spend the rest of my trip in a saddened state of loneliness. The beauty of Algonquin Park was too inspiring for me to stay so depressed. I finished my trip in solitude, leaving the park one year older and ready to rejoin the community that I am so happy to be a part of.