A Walk in the Woods
Yesterday I had an amazing experience of walking 14 miles alone on the Catharine Valley Trail, from Horseheads to Watkins Glen, NY. I have run this trail before, alone and with friends, but walking it was a very different experience. Although I had my phone with me and did text my family periodically, or share a quick story about what I was experiencing with a friend, I did not listen to music or pod casts or browse social media, I just walked in silence. It was a beautiful experience. It took me nearly 5 hours. 5 hours alone. I highly recommend it.
I started the walk in Horseheads. There is a beautiful wetland there. I took many pictures of flowers as I walked. I found that I was noticing more flowers than I ever noticed while I run. Some flowers were varieties that I see everywhere, others were truly unique. I took pictures of them so that I can remember them and so that I can share them with others. Some were yellow and standing tall on very thin stems, others were purple and low to the ground with many leaves. I saw purple loosestrife, that although is absolutely beautiful, is invasive to the area. I thought it had been eradicated, but clearly it is making a come back. I saw golden rod and an abundance of bamboo. There was a variety of Blacked-Eyed Susans, that were small and dainty, with rounded petals instead of pointed. There were wild blueberries, but also some berries that were blue that are poisonous, all mixed in together. And some yellow daisies that were most magnificent.
There was also a lot of wildlife along the route. I watched chipmunks scampering around. One had a mouthful of something that made his head look bigger than it’s body. There were so many robins, I was wondering if they were gathering to get ready to travel south. A huge hawk flew over the trail with such majesty that it made me take pause. I saw some rocks up ahead that looked from a distance that they might be birds. I was so distracted by them that I almost stepped on an adorable little red eft. I got some pictures of that one. She stayed perfectly still for me. The squirrels were busy running about, never staying still long enough for a photo.
There were bridges over small waterways and roads. One bridge is metal and goes over the road. It is covered in fencing, presumably to keep everyone safe. Of course as I walked over it I thought of multiple ways to still make it unsafe, despite everyone’s efforts towards protection. I’m one who believes “if there’s a will there’s a way.” The other bridges were mostly wooden and going over little streams. I tried to take some pictures through the railings to show the contrast between nature and man. Some of the waterways were clear and beautiful, others were murky and with collections of debris from humans scattered about. But most of the trail was clean and the overall feel was peaceful and lovely.
I listened to all of the sounds around me. Of course I could hear cars out on the roads, but I was mostly hearing the sounds of nature. There were peepers and crickets playing their song in the background. I could hear the scuttle of animals as they ran about collecting their meals. I could hear the birds taking flight as I got too near. The leaves were rustling in the wind. Occasionally a cyclist would come by and announce “passing on the left”. This of course scared the bajeebers out of me, reminding me that although I was alone, I truly was not.
I brought snacks and water with me for this excursion, knowing I would be out for a while and would need to replenish my energy along the way. I ate an apple and grapes, so grateful for the natural sugar and also the juices they provided for my hydration. My camel back water supply was not as delicious as the fresh fruit.
The start of the journey was rather chilly. I actually started out wearing a sweatshirt, but took that off after the first mile as my body started to warm from the exertion. There were times when the sun was out and I started to sweat under my camel back backpack. And then the sun would go behind the clouds and the wind would pick up and I’d start to feel a little chilly again. This went back and forth throughout the day.
I enjoyed the smells of flowers, grass, and trees. I passed a horse barn and the smells were reminiscent of my childhood riding experiences. I passed a house that smelled of pancakes for breakfast. So many lovely scents.
It was a wonderful experience for all of my senses. I was alone with myself, my thoughts, and Mother Nature in all of her glory. I could think and ponder. I felt no pressure to be a certain way or look a certain way. Nature doesn’t care about that stuff.
I described all this to you to show you how you can bring yourself to a peaceful place either by experiencing it yourself or making yourself quiet and imagining it with all of your senses. To experience it for yourself, step outside. Find a peaceful place to either sit or walk. Be aware of all that is around you through all of your senses. What do you feel on your skin? What do you hear? What do you see? What do you smell? What do you taste? Notice all of those things. Make mental note of them. They will help you in the future, when life is tough and you need a break but can’t take one. You can imagine yourself there. You can remember what you saw, touched, heard, smelled and tasted. It will bring you back to that peaceful feeling and help ground you and prepare you for whatever challenges you have to face.
This is a great skill to teach your children as well. When school is stressful, when their friends aren’t getting along, when they just feel sad, this visualization process can bring them the peace they need to carry on.
Where is your happy place? Go there in person or in your mind. Bring yourself the peace and joy you deserve.