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we took a little hike this afternoon

10.04.2012

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confession; over the years i've developed a rational (and somewhat sensible) fear of such woodland tragedies such as poison ivy and bugs. unfortunately, i think being a girl has gotten to me in some ways. dare i say it, i have screamed at the sight of a gastly six legged creature. and three leafed plants make my stomach turn. but over the years i've learned to tell myself, come now, use common sense and embrace the outdoors. there's really nothing so terrible out there that should keep you inside all of the time. so today,  i followed the adventurous three, who seemed to know their way around these woods. they talked not so quietly among themselves (because when you're not inside you can obviously use your outside voice). i didn't say much, i simply took everything in. the boys were sure to fully indulge in the hiking experience by wearing boots and taking along their walking sticks. every now and then one of their little heads would turn to check and see if i was still there. as we strolled in a winding pattern up the hill, around bushes and stumps, i noticed this wasn't just any hill. it was their hill. a place they had made for theirselves. there was a bundle of sticks tucked against the crook of a tree. the ground had somewhat been cleared of the leaves and debris. there were handfuls of corn kernels sprinkled about for the deer and squirrels that pass through. oh, to be young again. i can remember being all too familiar with the hillsides and valleys around my home. i'd rush outside as soon as i finished my schoolwork sometime in late morning. the hours of daylight i used up exploring and letting my imagination rule. collecting acorns from the forest floor, peeling chunks of bark off trees, stacking sticks on top of one another. finding a fallen oak and making a fort inside the crevis of its upturned roots. laying pine needles and moss down as carpet. being lost in the world of pretend. and i'd be swept back into reality when someone's voice called me back to the house for dinner. maybe it has something to do with being a kid. or loving wide open spaces, fresh air. hearing the wind rustling through the leaves. seeing the colors that can only be of fall. as much as i can be content with staying indoors, that fondness for nature remains in me still. true, i might have misplaced my lens cover along the way today (yeah...oops). esther shed a few tears over the stinging nettles that somehow ended up in her pinky finger. and there were times we had to clamber through the thickets of thorns and low hanging branches. no journey can be perfectly ideal or it fails to bring what a journey should. much like the hike we took this afternoon, the journey is the prize. we had no destination set for us, we simply started walking. there was no time to dwell on where we would end up, we were much too caught up in every little moment.

5 comments:

  1. hiking is the literal best. i love your words.

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  2. beautiful.

    simply, honestly beautiful.

    love this very much. :)

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  3. So beautiful, and so rich in autumn colors.

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  4. the journey is the prize. we had no destination set for us, we simply started walking.
    uh, gorgeous. I want to steal your words, they are so beautiful (won't, promise).

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