Into The Woods

Beyond the walls.

Beyond these rivers of asphalt.

Lies a world beyond imagination.

As I took my first steps, I felt the weight of my pack biting into my shoulders trying desperately to pull me backwards when my goal lies ahead. Stumbling for an instant I felt my legs regain their composure as they yearned for the adventure that awaited them. The sounds of chirping birds filled the moist air and the distant rumbling of a waterfall beckoned me into the wilderness. We set off into the mountains, all thoughts of society dispersing like the morning fog on a hot day. I lead the charge along this narrow dirt trail, my family close behind me. Every step lead to another, every breath a reminder of the simple joys we take for granted. Through winding hills and over rushing rivers I found my focus drawn to the animals around me. Lizards scuttling around my feet, bees buzzing beside me, and the birds soaring above. I felt at ease knowing that at this moment, I was just like them. Soaking up all of the sounds and smells and sights around me. Feeling my way through this beautiful wilderness that they call home. With no thoughts of work, school, or society I felt at peace knowing that I was, in essence, no different than the ant walking beside me. As we ventured further into the hills the earth beneath us began to shift from dry grass to small shrubs, from small shrubs to trees and back to grass. Each valley filled with a unique display of evolution calling out for you to recognize its diversity and beauty. We began to see pools of fish throughout the river, small at first but growing in size as we scaled the mountains before us. As the sun began to rise above us, we seemed to slip once again into a spectacular new world. Snakes emerged to bask in its warmth, blessing us with their presence along our journey. With the heat and presence of more wildlife we began to walk slower, eyes alert and scanning the trail ahead, searching for anything of interest among the jagged rocks or under a shady tree. Many times, we crossed the small winding creek and each time it seemed to call us into its cold refreshing waters as if it knew how much the hot sun was quickly sapping away our energy. We rested for a moment beneath a small tree along the river, catching our breath and enjoying a drink from the cold clear water flowing along the stream. After replenishing our energy and escaping the harsh sun we once again returned to the path and continued on towards our destination. Deep in the mountains, we had heard, lies a beautiful oasis. Tucked into a small ravine and protected from the elements it was rumored to be full of beautiful pools overflowing with fish and other small wildlife. With the image of this paradise floating around in our heads we continued on our journey. The sound of far off voices echoed from the rocks like some alien presence. For a moment I had forgotten that we weren't alone in this wonderful place and as the voices grew closer the realization hit that for most of the day, we had simply been alone in this vast expanse of nature. The reminder that other people were approaching seemed so foreign in that moment and as they walked around the rocks, I felt relieved to see them looking at us, just as puzzled by the presence of other humans. The ice was quickly broken with a friendly hello and their brief story of the trail in front of us only caused further excitement. As we passed by and continued along the thought of encountering other people disappeared into the dust beneath our shoes. As the sun crept down towards the mountains my legs began to waver. The realization that I had not exercised in nearly two months was the only reminder I wanted of the bizarre world we had left, before I brushed it off and forced my legs onward. We soon reached a steep canyon descending from a high peak into a narrow valley full of tall trees and huge boulders. The excitement began to quickly build as the sound of a distant crashing waterfall broke through the trees. “This has to be it” I thought to myself as I looked back at the smiling faces of my parents and sister. After nearly seven miles, we are almost there. Without realizing it my feet began to move faster, my muscles energized by the sound of crashing water. My growling stomach satiated by the idea that paradise was just around the corner. As I emerged from the brush my sister walked up beside me and we both stopped, amazed by the beauty of what lay before us. Tucked under the shelter of the trees and nestled within a jagged rocky canyon sat four beautiful campsites along a surging river dotted with small waterfalls. It was just as wonderful as we had imagined, and the perfect place to come together as a family during such difficult times and to celebrate my father's birthday after being away from home for many years. This truly was paradise.