Erin King- Noland Trail Adventure

When we went to the Noland trail as a class, I took a notebook and sat down after walking around and wrote down my thoughts. They are a little rough, and look like a different alphabet was used, but thats besides the point. 'Walking on the trail, I cant help but feel the interdependence of life and the circular connection that exists all around me. The leaves fall and become apart of the trail, while the trail gives space for the trees to grow and reach for the sun. Nuts fall from trees into the lake, making a perfectly circular ripple, as that water then travels to the James River where its home for fish, who are a necessity to the bird population, who nest high up in the very trees that started the circle. I cant help but ask the question, where do I fit in? Am I only an observer looking in on this circle of life? Why is it that I have to leave my ordinary day to experience something natural and calm. Why does my skin not know the sun, my feet not know the rocks, my hair not know the wind,and my eyes not know the beauty that should be my everyday life. Nature creates this calming peace and feeling of home, why is that not my normal life. I see the dependence and inter-workings of nature all around, and it creates a feeling of harmony. I feel like I am here, but here is not where I am. Its like my body is one place but my mind is somewhere completely different.Its almost an outer body experience when the tranquility of a beautiful day takes over. Time doesnt seem to matter, neither does homework or made up things like the economy and accepted social norms; the natural world is whats real.'