It’s common for locals and visitors alike to visit the many hot springs scattered around the county I live in. During my drinking days, it was one of my favorite things to do with my friends.

We’d grab some adult beverages (cans, no glass), drive out to the middle of nowhere in the dark of night and soak in water heated by the natural processes of the Earth.

A lot of people will wear their swim suit, but a lot of other people (hi!) enjoy the alternative. It was almost always a good time, and I was always always stoked to get naked outside. I definitely recommend doing it at least once in your life (in an appropriate place, please). Live a little. Feels good man.

Most of the hot springs are natural pools where you’re sitting in the mud. I’m sure it’s good for your skin or something, but our favorite tub was one that had been paved.

Someone had constructed a pipe to divert the hot water into said tub, so this location is able to be drained and cleaned if someone decides to do so. It is entirely on people in the community to make that happen if they want the tub cleaned.

Early on in my first visits to this spring, my friends and I met a cool feller and his gorgeous pup. Over time we realized he was more of a regular here than our group was.

In fact, this guy came here so often, he had kind of made himself the unofficial custodian. He was one of the people who kept up on coming out into the bush and doing the labor of cleaning this tub.

He didn’t ask for anything in return, and he didn’t make a big deal out of telling everybody. In my drunken state I was just very touched, y’all.

Some random naked guy in the dark taught me a valuable lesson, and I’m only now, 7 years later, working to consciously apply it to my life:

Invest in what you love.

Or, in the words of Tegan and Sara, “if it’s not fun, don’t do it.”

I know how life is. I know how “fast-paced” our world today is and how easy it is to waste away scrolling through stuff online (this blog included).

Please make time for the things you really love to do. If you are an artist at heart, do the art. If you are a gamer, play the game. If you like being around trees, go take a lil walk around some mfkn trees.

Stop telling yourself you don’t have time. If you have time to be reading this, you have time. If you have time to go drinking, you have time.

We need to be tapped into things we’re passionate about to stay alive. Passion keeps us going. We need things to look forward to, no matter how small they might seem.

So, go do your thang. That’s an order.

And have a good day. 🙂