Hiking and the Search for Centerdness- York River State Park Nov. 3 Outside Experience 2
Our class out on the Nolan pushed me to want to get out into nature more. I had the opportunity to join Hiking Club on one of their day hikes last weekend. We went to River State Park 45 minutes north. I didn't know anyone in the club and took this strictly as an opportunity to be outside and entertained only by my surroundings and what I could think of them.
I walked ahead of the group at a brisk pace in order to stay away from the chatting from some members. I truly wanted to hear nothing but the wind in the trees. I also feared that their noise would scare off any wildlife I might pass (and I was right, I found a deer who promptly left at the sound of others approaching).
It felt good to have the cold air wash into my lungs, and to feel my legs working hard to carry me over another fallen tree or around a bend or up a hill. Less than halfway through I felt called to touch some of the greenery around me. The different textures of hard and soft leaves, checking behind them to see if any spiders were hanging out. Looking up to see webs glistening in the sunlight. I started to take note of things that I might've passed over had I not separated myself from the group and their conversations. Patterns in decaying trunks revealed themselves through mosses. Every once in a while I'd pass a white butterfly. I grew quickly agitated with the sound of planes flying overhead that would snap me back into reality.
Two students asked me why I kept bending over and stopping to touch some of the plants. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, some plants just spoke to me. That's the answer I gave them, and I probably sounded crazy. As I had those two consecutive thoughts I remembered that I was here for myself and not for them, so it's okay if they think it's silly. This was my time to decompress into nature.
I was hunting for a centeredness within myself. It's not something I will find through one day hike, but I do think that that day brought me closer to it. It will most likely be a life long journey but I hope that I will eventually find centerdness from within.
I walked ahead of the group at a brisk pace in order to stay away from the chatting from some members. I truly wanted to hear nothing but the wind in the trees. I also feared that their noise would scare off any wildlife I might pass (and I was right, I found a deer who promptly left at the sound of others approaching).
It felt good to have the cold air wash into my lungs, and to feel my legs working hard to carry me over another fallen tree or around a bend or up a hill. Less than halfway through I felt called to touch some of the greenery around me. The different textures of hard and soft leaves, checking behind them to see if any spiders were hanging out. Looking up to see webs glistening in the sunlight. I started to take note of things that I might've passed over had I not separated myself from the group and their conversations. Patterns in decaying trunks revealed themselves through mosses. Every once in a while I'd pass a white butterfly. I grew quickly agitated with the sound of planes flying overhead that would snap me back into reality.
Two students asked me why I kept bending over and stopping to touch some of the plants. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, some plants just spoke to me. That's the answer I gave them, and I probably sounded crazy. As I had those two consecutive thoughts I remembered that I was here for myself and not for them, so it's okay if they think it's silly. This was my time to decompress into nature.
I was hunting for a centeredness within myself. It's not something I will find through one day hike, but I do think that that day brought me closer to it. It will most likely be a life long journey but I hope that I will eventually find centerdness from within.
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