Lone R,
I agree with you that no one should feel obliged to hide boxes and that if
they do it from a sense of obligation they will probably not do as good a
job as someone who plants from a free desire to give back. However, I still
say that until you've tried both sides of the equation, you can't have a
full perspective of the game.
That doesn't make the lack of perspective a bad thing - that just means
someone hasn't gotten there yet. I wouldn't have expected my daughter to
understand the beauty of motherhood when she was 12 years old, but I also
wouldn't have wanted her to rush to motherhood so she could have that
understanding.
I think in many things we all do, we rush to get the whole experience. Why
hurry? Take your time and learn thoroughly at each step along the way. And
learn well. And after you master one level, move on to the next. I think
this applies to letterboxing as well as anything else. Ironically, I don't
think many of us, if any, will ever master the whole thing. And that's one
reason why I keep on letterboxing, because I NEED something that will keep
me challenged and interested.
However, I think that if a letterboxer takes the approach of "I'm just not
bent toward planting so I'm just going to be happy being a finder", they
shortchange themselves by closing the door on that aspect of experiencing
the game. And they can be great finders for decades, but if they never take
the opportunity to try planting they will not ever have the full experience
of the game. That doesn't mean they have to be stellar planters, or have
huge numbers of boxes out there, but it means they made an earnest attempt
to place a box, if for no other reason than to find out why a person who
loves to plant does what they do.
On 11/28/06, R wrote:
>
> Interesting discussion. I can relate to the whole experience and
> dynamics of the game because I both find and hide boxes. And I enjoy both
> aspects of the game. But I'm leery about urging people to hide in order to
> give back to the community. I would encourage hiding but only if someone
> enjoys the process and will maintain their hides.
>
> I worry that if people feel obliged to hide because they've found x number
> of boxes, they'll do so half-heartedly. I takes time and effort to find a
> good location, carve a stamp, put together a box, write clues, post the
> clues, then visit the box periodically to view the logbook and maintain the
> letterbox. Letterboxes should be well-planned things. The owner should enjoy
> the experience.
>
> Lone R
>
> Barefoot Lucy > wrote:
> On 11/28/06, The FM Girl >
> wrote:
>
> I think letterboxing is all about relationship, about giving and
> receiving.
> Some people give, some receive. There is an element of mutuality. You
> can't give without a receiver. If someone hides a box would they not
> prefer that someone go looking and find it?
>
> ************
>
> So if you are a receiver and I am a giver, it is entirely on my back as a
> giver to fulfill your mission as a receiver? That's kind of like saying
> "let's share the sled - you can have it on the trips up the hill, and I'll
> have it on the trips down the hill."
>
> I agree with you though that it IS about giving and receiving. BUT - until
> you've had the opportunity to both give AND receive, you really can't
> understand the dynamics of the whole game. You can have a real good idea,
> but you don't get the whole picture. By understanding the feelings and
> efforts that go into being a placer, you become a better finder. By being
> a
> really good finder, you become more attuned to how to create boxes worth
> finding.
> --
> Barefoot Lucy
> "It's not about footwear, it's about philosophy"
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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>
>
--
Barefoot Lucy
"It's not about footwear, it's about philosophy"
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]