An Unlikely Adventure
A few weeks ago a thought popped into my head and it didn’t leave. I suddenly had a longing to go backpacking and exploring in the mountains, something I have never wanted to do before. It kept coming into conversations and eventually made its way into my dreams; so I persistently asked my father if we could go backpacking for one night. He eventually agreed.
After a steep but short, solitudinous hike, we emerged at the bottom of a canyon surrounded by trees and the setting sun. Dinner was followed by an hour in which I journaled under my headlight and drank watery hot chocolate which seemed to lose a few degrees in warmth each time I took a sip. The night came freezing and thoughts pondering why I was spending my weekend out in the cold protected by a thin tent showered my sleep-deprived brain.
That moment when I opened my eyes to see the sky, faint indigo growing lighter as the sun progressed upwards was one of great repose.
The Peace in Solitude
Being isolated in the mountains reminded me of the importance of solitude. I have always enjoyed being alone but I realized lately I have been doing everything I can to be surrounded by others. I forgot what my own company was like. While journaling for the longest amount of time since the summer, I was surprised to see how much I had been neglecting. Unintentionally I distracted myself from my thoughts for three months.
I spent much of the summer alone, and it was the least lonely I have ever felt. Embodied by the wholesome space I lived in, I didn’t find myself worrying much. Not wanting to let go of that, I sensed change as the school year started and clung to others for support. This change scared me since I was so content prior to it taking place. The summer has long ago faded and I feel completely different, I only realized it now. This season is waiting to be embraced and I want to so badly.
The drive to and from the trailhead was surreal. On the way up it was energizing and the way back down was restful. I had never known that right behind the rocky mountains were thousands of acres of pure wilderness empty of urban structures. From above, the city was a small square surrounded by the glistening sea and green peaks flooded with warm light. As the car descended, the massive forest disappeared behind the golden hills.
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