Hiking

This past weekend I took a journey that I normally wouldn't take, but at the insistence of an old friend's argument, bolstered by an incredibly beautiful afternoon, I journeyed into the world of the sublime, a nice six mile hike.

In between the many rests where I huffed and puffed and complained about being out of shape and needing to exercise a lot more, I relished the chance to get out into nature and enjoy the beauty of a fall afternoon. As I hiked the path through the trees, listening to the birds chirping and watching the chipmunks scurry across the bed of the forest, I began to lose the worries and stress that the daily grind seems to heap upon my shoulders. In those moments the music of the forest with the bird's trills and the soft breeze rustling the leaves like the soft percussion of a folk song, I found solitude, a peace that normally escapes me throughout normal part of the year.

It wasn't just the crispness of the fall afternoon or the idyllic quality of the moment. It was something more spiritual, more emotional. Something that I forgot. Humans need to commune with nature. As if it was something primordial, my soul felt it needed that moment.

Why should we savor the moments? We all need moments where we can unwind. Whether it is the stress of an upcoming exam for the students, or the anxiety caused by the latest project at work, a moment to connect with calm, peaceful world of nature secures our footing, and it provides for us a medicine that we can't get at the pharmacy or the supermarket.

So, create a garden, take a walk in the woods, or find a park. Soak up the sun while listening to the melodic sounds and watching the precise and seemingly effortless work of the natural world. Find renewal and strength for the coming days. It can't hurt that the fiery beauty of fall is fast approaching. Do I hear more mountain hiking adventures calling?