by Sharon Clark

For one week each year, seemingly normal people the world over begin behaving strangely. Their friends and family worry as household chores and yard work are abandoned. What kind of affliction could be so
widespread, affecting every gender, every age group, on nearly every continent?

GISH.

What is GISH, you may ask. Simply put, it’s an acronym for the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt, previously with the addendum ‘the World Has Ever Seen.’ But that very un-catchy moniker was wisely truncated in
recent years. There is no reliable description of this phenomenon. Some say it’s stressful and bizarre, some will call it freeing and bizarre, and other can only mutter, “Damn it, Misha” as they slingshot food into the mouth of a
neighbor.

But GISH can not be explained in simple terms. What started out as a distraction and a big-hearted attempt to help those in need in real and meaningful ways, has morphed into something with a life of its own. It
devours the hearts and minds of everyone that encounters it, leaving an indelible, shining mark of joy on their souls. In its wake you will always find laughter, tears, glitter, probably something to do with unicorns, and the beautiful squishy aftereffects of 7 days of unreasonable pain and suffering.

Because, you see, GISH is more than merely a week, or an acronym, or a massive list bent on driving its participants mad. It is a living, breathing entity that injects light and purpose into an otherwise dark and chaotic
world. GISH is a lifeline for some, pulling them from the depths of despair or loneliness, giving them an instantaneous family of millions, and all the support and encouragement that comes along with it. For others, GISH
is a license – an excuse, if you will – for letting loose and trying things they never would have considered on their own. It is freeing and exhilarating, and once you’ve been enveloped by its adventurous and all-consuming
existence, you are never the same.

Are there dangers associated with becoming a GISHer? Oh, heck yeah. Coworkers will avoid you for the week before and the week after this scavenger hunt. Craft supplies will sprout from corners of your living space for months after it ends. Those brave – or foolish – enough to look into the depths of GISH have been known to utter, text, or write sentences they never thought were possible, such as, “Hey, I think I left my potatoes in the park;would you get them for me, please?”

What is GISH? It is love, and adventure; it is an opportunity to push your boundaries and test your hidden talents; it is a worldwide movement to do good and be good. GISH is the reason we shrug with a rueful smile early each August and explain, “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Sharon Clark is an author who lives in Des Moines. This is her third year as a GISH participant, and is a good friend of Steph Caffrey. Thank you Sharon for being a guest on my website.