Hardship Descriptive Writing

Pitching a tent without poles is a difficult task; sleeping in one for a week is even harder. The wind blows at the feeble attempt of shelter, constantly swaying the loose tarp scrappily tied between two trees. The rain seeps down through ill-positioned window flaps to create a permeating dankness. The supposed place of refuge from wilderness becomes a suffocating box as the canvas slowly collapses and sinks to the ground. Of course, prior preparation and remembering to bring along the poles can prevent this hardship, but valuable experiences arise when things do not go to plan. When I went camping on a remote island for a week, the enjoyment came from plunging myself into the vast unknown, with minimal preparation beforehand. I learned to …show more content…
Our paddles splashed against the water as we glided along side the hooks. In one smooth motion, my companion swept his hand down to deftly unlatch the a hook from the line and hoist it into the air. I looked in wonder as a large catfish wriggled helplessly in his grasp; my sense of wonder continued as we pulled thirty or forty fish up from the line. Learning to filet the fish was equally impressive. I first watched how to precisely shear the meat from the bone and gradually became more comfortable doing it myself until I was just as fluid as the others. At the end of the long night I returned to my drooping tent. As my head rested on my sleeping bag, I smiled contently. The closing-in walls of the tent were not as oppressive as before, but rather comforting and snug. The constant swaying in the wind was akin to the gentle rocking of a crib. The dripping wet was still …show more content…
The long nights and lazy afternoon siestas further propelled us into a satisfying lull of eventful listlessness. On the final day, when I was packing up my belongings and unstringing my unsightly tent, I felt incorporated in the island life. I was extremely grateful for all the planning the others had done that allowed me to come on this trip; moreover, much of my enjoyment came from the fact that I did not have a part in planning at all. It was a new journey for me, traveling into a foreign, secluded place without a preconceived notion about what was going to happen. And so, I fondly stuffed my tent into its still spacious bag. What the tent represented is the most important aspect of the trip for me—that despite all the inconveniences, I could take them all in stride and even take pleasure in them. Accepting the hardships and overcoming obstacles filled me with the satisfaction of living without