The soft green light fell upon my skin. Coin-sized dapples, of shade and diffused light, dance over the surface of the understory. The canopy of this creek bottom forest soars above my head like Gothic flying buttresses. Rising walls of the earthen ravine embrace this humid glen. Under these cathedral arches of nature I find peace, fulfillment and much needed solitude.
The walk to get here is somewhat arduous and takes more than a few minutes. I’ve not tried to time it before, but I’m estimating it’s a good 12 to 15 minute walk from my door. I must cross out of my own wooden boundary, across a field, and then down the sloping side of a time-forged ravine face to reach the bottoms. I often walk along the narrow deer trails that crisscross through this lower plateau. At times, I will forge my own path across the native lily patches, trying not to disturb their tender growth. There are larger paths to follow across this bottom, scars left from four-wheelers and hopped up golf carts. I follow them only occasionally. They are too soft and muddy. They are lacking the loamy support of the springy woodland plants. These tracks are not entirely unwelcome, but I prefer to avoid them when I can.
I have no clear destination. Here, I am familiar with nearly all of the subdued green islands that are amidst the walking paths. I have a self-proclaimed built-in GPS that drives my spouse to distraction. I have a keen sense of direction and the ability to find my way out of the woods (or to navigate a city) with very little stress. I use this ability to let my body wonder while my thoughts are occupied. Here, I am able to sort through my heavy burdens of the day. Some times they are as light as my to-do list hanging upon the refrigerator back at home. Other times, they are as complex as how to deal with my exceptionally gifted children in a manner that is respectful, but still guiding, without hurting their sense of independence.
Both of my children are brilliant. I’m not just saying that- they are. State-wide academic testing at their school confirms it. They are time and again some of the highest ranked scores in their class, the entire school, and the state.
My problem lies in the fact that they are still just children, but retain the intelligence and reasoning power of someone much, much older. Their old souls are crammed into a tiny, youthful body. They have the social skills of their age group, or even less, because they are lost in their own thoughts too often and not interacting with others. However, they have the ability to debate their point and reason with (and often fool) adults in order to achieve their own agenda. It is frustrating for my husband and I.
One of the many places I go to be alone with my thoughts is this woodland glen. I can isolate issues and compartmentalize them. I can create a ‘game plan’ to achieve my own goals here. I can seek guidance in whatever form it might come in. My heart becomes lighter. My thoughts become unburdened. Here is my church. I worship it with widespread arms and uplifted soul.
