Aloha Scamp Spirit •
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Dear Aloha,
There is something about chopping wood with an axe that is good for the spirit. People who know me well understand that wood chopping is kind of a “thing” for me, and sometimes I get asked why. So I have thought about it, and here is what I believe: •
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Chopping wood takes confidence. It is a practice that can be mastered by people of many statures, ages, builds, heights – you name it. But if you don’t have confidence in what you’re doing, you won’t be able to swing with the accuracy and force needed to split the wood in front of you. It takes precision and practice. It is a pretty basic skill, actually – just one person and one tool. But if you’re going to be successful, you need to be safe, you need to be attentive, and you need to be prepared. Swinging an axe is good exercise. When you raise it up, you fill your lungs with air, engage your core, and use your upper and lower body for strength and balance. You are engaged physically and mentally in the job before you, and you can only be successful if you are mindful and present in the moment. Splitting kindling connects you to nature and the
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Spring 2017
outdoors. It’s not something you do in a basement or garage, or in your bedroom or your car – you do it outside. With good lighting and visibility, and with plenty of space around you.
Chopping wood feels good, and you get to see the fruits of your labor almost instantly. It takes longer to make a sandwich or take a shower than it does to split a log into kindling. Such a small investment of time yields great reward. The end-game with chopping wood – building a fire – serves a higher purpose. Whether your fire is used for cooking, heat, fellowship, ambiance, or all of the above, the wood you’ve chopped enables something greater: nourishment, warmth, camaraderie.
And this might be the clincher: chopping wood is often considered to be a task performed by men. Not at Aloha, mind you, but in the world in general. It’s thought of as a guy thing.
When we women pick up an axe and cleave a log into usable kindling, we are doing so much more than chopping wood. We are challenging stereotypes, building our confidence, and taking responsibility for ourselves and the world around us. And when we teach other girls and women to chop wood, we are serving as role models for empowerment and courage, and teachers of independence and self-reliance. We are creating community, strengthening our bodies and our friendships, and – in many cases – re-defining “fun.” What is your fun? What incites your passion? How are you a PAM? There is something about chopping wood with an axe that is good for the spirit. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. See you at the WCH chopping block in 2017! Aloha, Sarah Gordon Littlefield Director, Aloha Camp