Peace In Nature

     Hey! As of late, I've found myself spending less time writing and more time outside going on my runs and walks. While it's easy to attribute my recent adventures to my desire to get more fit and exercise more, I think I've also come to realize exactly how much I enjoy spending time in nature and greenery! 

    I've known that I like nature for many years now, since I always end up feeling some urge to go exploring in a park or forest, either with friends or alone. And for the longest time, I would attribute my enjoyment of nature to the trees that surrounded me. When I first got my glasses to fix my eyesight way way back in like third grade, I remember the first thing I was amazed to see with clear vision were the trees in the parking lot of the optometrist. The memory of being shocked at how I could see each individual leaf dancing in the wind, instead of the blurry green blob I was accustomed to seeing, was impressive enough to me that I still remember it to this day, over a decade later. 

    However, even though I would usually talk about this memory when I'm asked about my love for the outdoors, I think lately I've come to a different understanding about my relationship with nature. With my daily runs this last month, I've spent a lot more time outside than I have before in my life (at least recent life). And as I've explained in a previous blog post, I don't like running in populated areas, which has led me to explore more isolated trails and roads that are surrounded in the wilderness and nature. The feeling of loneliness is a different one than the usual emotions I would associate with being alone- rather than it being sad or depressing, it invigorates me, it makes me more confident to push myself to my limits knowing that my only company is the trees that frame the roads I run on.

    There's something beautiful about removing myself from the stimulating cleanliness of my normal life, to escape into the trees and the bugs and the humidity. There is no one to judge me, just as there is no one to help me. I am alone, and with this understanding, I feel all the more human. As I run on the cracked concrete, the sun beating my skin with its waves, my sweat stinging my eyes, I learn to appreciate the small simple pleasures that nature provides: a shady spot to catch my breath, or a breeze that breathes a new life into my tired body. Spending so much time alone in nature has made me more grateful than I ever would have been if I remained at home or with friends, because I think you can't truly appreciate something until you've lost it, if only for a while.

    And with every run into the depths of the wild, I find a reward with every sunset at the end of the road, and I share it with no one but myself, and I feel like I earned this view. I alone see the sun set framed by the silhouettes of trees and grass, and even though I'm sure there are better views elsewhere, only this one is mine.