NATURAL HIGH

I looked up, squinting at rays of bright sunlight filtering through dense treetops. I had to stop - just for a second. My legs ached, I was out of breath, but I felt great. Around me, greens and browns of solid brush beckoned me to continue onward. This feeling dominated all others, but I had to take a break.

The forest enveloped me in peace and beauty. I looked back to the slope of loose shale and jagged rock which I had just conquered. The hike up that steep, long incline replayed itself through my mind. There were times when I felt like turning around, thinking of how easy it would be to go back. I smiled, knowing I would have never done that.

After a few minutes, I proceeded on. First I jumped carelessly over a large fallen tree, almost sprawling to the forest floor as one of my hiking boots snagged on a frayed branch. I walked on. The trees thinned and the light of day overwhelmed me. Finally I was in a clearing and my journey had come to an end.

A grassy area lay before me, the first level ground I had encountered in hours. My aching feet took me to the edge of the bluff, and I sat down.

To the right of me was the path through which I had to travel to get here. First there was the hike through a mile of multicolored brush and various trees, accompanied by briars and unexpected holes. That portion of my journey led me to the steep slope of gray rock that dared my endurance. It was there that I became aware of how hot and bright the sun was, heating the uneven ground and all of nature not shaded by thick, towering trees. The hazardous slope was tough to climb, but I suppose that's why I enjoyed this particular hike so much.

To the left of me were more woods, cool and refreshing, shaded by the protection of dense pines and modronas. I remember a small stream in that area, a hundred yards deep into the woods. The memory of its clean, flawless water and how it had quenched my burning thirst when I was last here entertained my mind.

In front of me was the open, cloudless sky with the forest below, the spiny tree line small and unreachable. In the far distance was a small town, the only presence of civilization for miles around. I peered down the cliff in front of me, scooting my body over to the cooling shade of a small pine tree five feet away. After a few minutes more, I laid on my back and closed my eyes, letting the calmness of the moment engulf my thoughts.

THE END

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