Critterhunter
New member
This thing has been kicking around in my mind for a while now, and I thought I'd finally sit down and put into words why this hobby means so much to me, in the hopes that others one day will find the greatest enjoyment and rewards it has to offer, that took me a while to discover for myself with time and maturity to "season" my perspective, so to speak...
Early on, for a good part of the first half of my detecting "career", what mattered to me most was what I could find and how quickly I could find it. Friends, being out in nature, history...All these things were of secondary nature to me and only useful to achieve my objectives of finding that elusive old coin or big fat gold ring I had been after. Everything else other than what ended up in my pouch was pretty much not at the top of my priority list.
It took me some years in this hobby, along with maturity as I got a bit older, to really realize just what it had to offer to me that was much more rewarding in the long run, giving me far greater satisfaction as to all it had to offer. So, in the hopes that I help a few new to this great pass time "come up to speed" a little quicker, where it took me far longer to open my eyes, I've got a few stories to relate to you...
I'll start with an old acquaintance of mine that I've known for years. This friend I always looked forward to seeing and enjoying his company. With every visit with each other we'd talk and share past memories we experienced, but are good enough friends that we can let long periods of time pass without feeling the need to say a word, lost deep in our thoughts of of our own and just "knowing" that a word doesn't need said in contemplating where we've been, and where we are now in perspective traveling through life in each other's company to dwell on things.
My friend always welcomes me with opening arms, and yes, just like me, we both look a little order since we first met. A little rougher around the edges, with signs of wear or battle scars in our passing through life. Not the young and innocent types we once were, but grateful we know now what we didn't know back then.
This friend, while I can visit him on any given day and time, I especially reserve for days I need the peace, solace, and understanding he offers, where I can unwind and forget life's problems for a few hours, as we enjoy each others company and lose the world for a few hours. Not that we need the bonding, but often he's known to offer me up a few gifts for paying him a visit. I'm always thankful to him, but by far more so for the visit he always invites me in to without feeling imposed upon.
Sometimes I bring a friend of mine to visit him, so that he too can find what I have, and enjoy the experience of good friends and good company, leaving with a peace you just can't find in a pill or a bottle of your favorite liquor. I want others to enjoy what I get out of the visit to this old friend, and soak in the peace and tranquility he might offer to them, as he does to me, and perhaps they too will build a long standing relationship with each other.
This friend, and not the only important part of this hobby by far with more to follow in concept in the next post...In case you haven't guessed already, is not a friend but rather a site. This site is always welcoming to me, far secluded from the rush of the world, surrounded by woods, and offering me sanctuary when I need it most, to clear my mind and lose life's problems and challenges for a few hours, where I can put on those headphones and lose the world.
The perspectives of our "friendship" go far beyond what I can relate in words, but as one small example of our "relationship", this old friend of mine offers me gifts rather grudgingly, and in return I try to return the favor in kind, by removing trash both on the ground and on the surface, that I feel is a blight on this "friend's" good name in some ways.
Yes, I have far more productive places I could hunt, having pounded this site for all it's worth over eons, but to be honest I'd much rather spend a whole day of solitude in it's peaceful company, rather than go somewhere else and find much more yet have to deal with the reminders around me of life's intrusions.
Besides, this old "friend" of mine has other gifts to offer, such as the deer "he" allows to roam his property, the turkey that grace it's presence early in a morning's visit, or the smells of the nature in which "he" lives in his surroundings, and most importantly the fine sense of peace of mind that many times I can't find anywhere else. You can't put a price on that, no matter how much silver or gold you dig up.
I look at this site as a fine whiskey which I only pull out on special needed occasions, when I just need that relief that no amount of anything else will offer. Like a fine whiskey shared among friends to relax and enjoy each others company in deep thoughts and conversation, so does this site offer that to me. And, just like a fine whiskey, I don't guzzle down all it has to offer in one day, and "use it up" as quick as possible.
I never go there with the intent of taking it all, but rather it's the journey and not the destination, so I've never had the intent to strip mind the place, or in analogy take advantage of my good friend. It's a gentle more "let's share this moment" type of experience, where I don't want to rush the visit, nor do I want to use it up as quickly as possible so I can move on.
In 20 years or so I've not worked it hard. Yes, worked it, but not like I was robbing a bank. I want to savor every "sip of that whiskey". I want that bottle on the shelf for another 20 years to come, to be there on days I need it, when the world has me rattled. I want our relationship to live on without things getting old and dry for both of us, by revealing to each other all we had to offer as quickly as we could. I want us to be "friends" for a very long time.
And one day, should that friend not be able to offer me "gifts" anymore due to his present condition in life, I won't be dumping that him looking for more productive waters. Waters elsewhere may be more productive, but are they as calm, warm, and inviting? I think not, no matter what else I find some day...
In the next post, I'll relate the other true treasure to me in this hobby, which if you are missing then you'll never feel "rich", no matter how heavy your pouch gets with gold or silver...
Early on, for a good part of the first half of my detecting "career", what mattered to me most was what I could find and how quickly I could find it. Friends, being out in nature, history...All these things were of secondary nature to me and only useful to achieve my objectives of finding that elusive old coin or big fat gold ring I had been after. Everything else other than what ended up in my pouch was pretty much not at the top of my priority list.
It took me some years in this hobby, along with maturity as I got a bit older, to really realize just what it had to offer to me that was much more rewarding in the long run, giving me far greater satisfaction as to all it had to offer. So, in the hopes that I help a few new to this great pass time "come up to speed" a little quicker, where it took me far longer to open my eyes, I've got a few stories to relate to you...
I'll start with an old acquaintance of mine that I've known for years. This friend I always looked forward to seeing and enjoying his company. With every visit with each other we'd talk and share past memories we experienced, but are good enough friends that we can let long periods of time pass without feeling the need to say a word, lost deep in our thoughts of of our own and just "knowing" that a word doesn't need said in contemplating where we've been, and where we are now in perspective traveling through life in each other's company to dwell on things.
My friend always welcomes me with opening arms, and yes, just like me, we both look a little order since we first met. A little rougher around the edges, with signs of wear or battle scars in our passing through life. Not the young and innocent types we once were, but grateful we know now what we didn't know back then.
This friend, while I can visit him on any given day and time, I especially reserve for days I need the peace, solace, and understanding he offers, where I can unwind and forget life's problems for a few hours, as we enjoy each others company and lose the world for a few hours. Not that we need the bonding, but often he's known to offer me up a few gifts for paying him a visit. I'm always thankful to him, but by far more so for the visit he always invites me in to without feeling imposed upon.
Sometimes I bring a friend of mine to visit him, so that he too can find what I have, and enjoy the experience of good friends and good company, leaving with a peace you just can't find in a pill or a bottle of your favorite liquor. I want others to enjoy what I get out of the visit to this old friend, and soak in the peace and tranquility he might offer to them, as he does to me, and perhaps they too will build a long standing relationship with each other.
This friend, and not the only important part of this hobby by far with more to follow in concept in the next post...In case you haven't guessed already, is not a friend but rather a site. This site is always welcoming to me, far secluded from the rush of the world, surrounded by woods, and offering me sanctuary when I need it most, to clear my mind and lose life's problems and challenges for a few hours, where I can put on those headphones and lose the world.
The perspectives of our "friendship" go far beyond what I can relate in words, but as one small example of our "relationship", this old friend of mine offers me gifts rather grudgingly, and in return I try to return the favor in kind, by removing trash both on the ground and on the surface, that I feel is a blight on this "friend's" good name in some ways.
Yes, I have far more productive places I could hunt, having pounded this site for all it's worth over eons, but to be honest I'd much rather spend a whole day of solitude in it's peaceful company, rather than go somewhere else and find much more yet have to deal with the reminders around me of life's intrusions.
Besides, this old "friend" of mine has other gifts to offer, such as the deer "he" allows to roam his property, the turkey that grace it's presence early in a morning's visit, or the smells of the nature in which "he" lives in his surroundings, and most importantly the fine sense of peace of mind that many times I can't find anywhere else. You can't put a price on that, no matter how much silver or gold you dig up.
I look at this site as a fine whiskey which I only pull out on special needed occasions, when I just need that relief that no amount of anything else will offer. Like a fine whiskey shared among friends to relax and enjoy each others company in deep thoughts and conversation, so does this site offer that to me. And, just like a fine whiskey, I don't guzzle down all it has to offer in one day, and "use it up" as quick as possible.
I never go there with the intent of taking it all, but rather it's the journey and not the destination, so I've never had the intent to strip mind the place, or in analogy take advantage of my good friend. It's a gentle more "let's share this moment" type of experience, where I don't want to rush the visit, nor do I want to use it up as quickly as possible so I can move on.
In 20 years or so I've not worked it hard. Yes, worked it, but not like I was robbing a bank. I want to savor every "sip of that whiskey". I want that bottle on the shelf for another 20 years to come, to be there on days I need it, when the world has me rattled. I want our relationship to live on without things getting old and dry for both of us, by revealing to each other all we had to offer as quickly as we could. I want us to be "friends" for a very long time.
And one day, should that friend not be able to offer me "gifts" anymore due to his present condition in life, I won't be dumping that him looking for more productive waters. Waters elsewhere may be more productive, but are they as calm, warm, and inviting? I think not, no matter what else I find some day...
In the next post, I'll relate the other true treasure to me in this hobby, which if you are missing then you'll never feel "rich", no matter how heavy your pouch gets with gold or silver...