The Woods

I stood still. Before me was a trail, about four kilometres long. Cedars, poplars, and pine trees surrounded me, their scent revealing themselves before I laid my eyes upon them.

I had woken up feeling a bit off that morning. The night before we had a lovely dinner, but I wondered if the margaritas I indulged in were now driving up my anxiety. I felt restless and wondered if the cure lay somewhere on that trail.

Hearing voices behind me, I began walking, hoping to largely enjoy this hike in solitude. Bushes of lush, green leaves surrounded the trail, and I gently let them brush against me as I moved past them. The clouds dominated the sky, casting shades of grey through the trees. With each step in my sandals, a bit of earth found its way under the soles of my feet, something that would have once annoyed me, but was now a welcome feeling. I would rather feel the sandy earth than the hard rubber of running shoes. 

The voices behind me began to fade. For the first kilometre or so, I listened to the group's lively conversation, filled with laughter. Now, I heard only my breath and the wind dancing through the leaves. I made sure to look up as much as I looked down at the terrain ahead, least I miss the gentle rustling of the poplar leaves, causing them to shimmer like confetti. 

A few feet off the path lay a fallen tree, caught between two others. “Nature’s bench”, I thought, as I made my way to have a seat. I sat with my back towards the trail. Taking off my backpack, I let my legs dangle off the log. In this quiet forest, surrounded by these tall, magnificent trees, I felt small for a moment. My problems felt small. The world felt small.

It was just me. And the trees.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. As the pine air filled my lungs, I placed my hands on either side of the log and ran my fingertips along the smooth wood. I opened my eyes and took in a million shades of green, and for a moment, there was only colour. 

The crankiness from the morning washed off me. 

I sat there until I was sure I could take the calmness with me. 

As I rose from the log and made my way back to the path, I noticed two women marvelling at the beauty surrounding them. It struck me that most people who come here are searching for the same thing: connection, whether it’s to another person, or to the boundless peacefulness of the forest. Either one will is medicine for the soul.

I made my way back to my car, smiling. I had only been on that path for about an hour, but the version of myself who went into that forest and the one who came out were evidently very different people. Driving off, I made a note to immerse myself in the trees more often. If an hour on a Sunday afternoon could give me this, what could a few visits a week do?

May your week be as peaceful as the forest.