What is a vision quest anyway?

Let me explain the purpose for the vision quest premise. Vision Quest was a "cheezingly awesome" 80's movie that high school wrestling coaches across America used to motivate youth. And although I emulated that movie more than I'd like to admit--I am not referring to the movie this time!

You see, when I was in elementary school, my perspective is that my parents did not want the cost or time commitment associated with Boy Scouts. So instead they got me involved with Indian Guides. It was like sitting at the lunch table in 4th grade and everyone else has brand name "Doritos" and then they pick on me because I have "Food lionitos" in my lunchbox. All the "cool" kids were in Boy Scouts and made pine wood derby cars and shot rifles at summer camp.

At Indian Guides, I sat and made "head dresses" and played drums in a circle---WITH A BUNCH OF OLD WHITE MEN trying to read from a YMCA book about how to be Native American! I mean seriously--we wore "war paint" on our faces and had names like "Little Bear". The concept of this was wrong on so many levels!

However, as ill-conceived and misguided as it was, perhaps there were good intentions and something much more significant about a bunch of 30-somethings pretending to be Native Americans every Thursday night in a suburban basement. I believe, like me now, they were searching for a way to connect with their sons and to connect with nature and their surroundings--traditional Native American values. We attempt to do this in so many ways now...

It was from one of our "tribe" meetings in which we had (I want to believe so bad that this is was true) a Native American tribal chief that told us stories about becoming a teenager and going on a vision quest. I recall that the purpose of a vision quest was to remain in solitude and experience a journey in nature. If we were able to do this then truths about ourselves and the world around us would appear to us. Now of course this speech was given to us before our annual camping trip and I ate that stuff up ravenously.

Hence, the vision quest premise for my blog. This potentially infinite goal of wanting to complete an Ironman is my journey. Jokingly, at this stage in my quest, I have substituted endorphins instead of peyote.

May truths continue to be revealed to me about nature, my surroundings, and myself.