A World Of Beauty
rating: +4+x

A couple of months ago, my friends were really starting to bother me. As much as I loved them, they could be a bit too much sometimes, so when that happened, I decided I need some space and privacy. This was not the first time this had happened, so I knew the perfect solution: a hike. My friends certainly had their unique qualities; connecting with everyone deals with every day helped me get a sense of empathy.

I remember when I was on the hike to find solace. At first, it was normal; don’t get me wrong, it was nice, especially because it was a national park I’d never gone to, but at the end of the day, my mind wandered elsewhere. My problems would turn into mere memories, my loneliness would turn intentional, and my emotions would become glimpses of the past. Subsequently, the walks were very therapeutic; they got me through some tough times, but a particular question had been nagging at me for this journey. Who was I? An individual? An add-on to a group? I had asked this question time and time again, but I never sought out the answer. Perhaps it was laziness, perhaps it was fear, or perhaps it was something else entirely.

I remember walking up a long hill when I found a rock. It was a large rock, and I was fairly tired at this point, so I decided to take some time to rest and rehydrate. At first, the undying release of light from the thick canopy of trees was blinding; however, when the blindness subsided, I was met with beauty. I saw a large overlook down onto a river. I had seen scenes like this before, but something was different.

I remember hearing the birds cry. Their songs telling a story of a love only dreamed of; the wind accompanied their harmonic voices like an orchestra. Neither overcame the other without permission, for they were dancing together. And with the wind came the air; the air that had never felt so clean. I could feel each breath going into my body, giving it life where there had been none. No odors plagued the air, yet the trees’ perfume blessed it. An aroma so magnificent words cannot even describe. I could feel the rock on me, and I on the rock; the soles of my shoe touched the dirt leaving echoes of a past, a past I could no longer understand.

I remember seeing that gorge housing a river as blue as the sky. Clouds barely covered the heavens, for today they were in unity. Trees stretched across the great chasm, each with a different color and a different purpose. Some houses beautiful creatures, trying to navigate the world they had been given; others were landmarks, simply created for others. The mountains on the sides of the gorge flattened at the top as they had no reason to compete with each other. I had seen sights like these before but this one made me wonder about my place.

I remember feeling a rogue tear slide down my cheek and answering the question.

new-gorge.jpeg

“I am me. I am to others as they are to me. There is no further question.”

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License