1400 Miles Later...

[varjohaltia]

We actually made pretty good time on the way back, and timed things so we arrived in Tampa right during a picture-perfect sunset. It still feels pretty alien, trying to settle back into this normal routine and taking seriously all the schoolwork I'm supposed to be doing for tomorrow and Tuesday, after a long weekend of southern Appalachian mountains turning seasons and Dana cooking feasts every night, and breakfasts every morning. The only thing that offsets all the steaks and bacon and eggs and sausage is the trapesing in the woods. Well, when I decided to not take my car on roads it doesn't belong on... But fording the river really wasn't that bad. Either of the two times.

So, there I was, driving through windy mountain roads, watching the golden, green, brown and red glory of the trees arch overhead, listening to Enya.

There I was, melting in the hot tub, watching the sun set behind the next peak over and turn the clouds all kinds of colors to match the fall leaves.

There I was, sitting on the couch with friends, in front of a crackling fireplace, trying to keep my thoughts from wandering off.

There I was, on a log by the firepit, watching the stars, listening to the wind through the trees, hoping for the moon to come out.

I also did a lot of soul-searching and pondering of my emotional universe. Lots of thought, but perhaps not so much helpful knowledge to share. I will go through my notes, and if there's anything useful to be said, post it later.

Oh, yeah. I took pictures too. More on those later.

Comments

[silentbottlecap.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you had a great time.
I think everyone should visit a cabin in the mountains in autumn at least once a year...
Unless there's something seriously wrong with you, you can't seem to help but find some incriment of simple contentment in the soft smell of sunlight on pine trees, dark little creeks meandering down valleys of blazing fall colours, or sitting by a fire with a hot cup of _____.

[obsidiangryphon.livejournal.com]

Many of my best epiphanies have swum up through my consciousness when out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded - as far as my senses can perceive - by only nature. Listening to the wind, birds calling to one another, the rustle of something in the grass and then seeing a deer approach a nearby brook... those kind of moments are when I feel most refreshed. In fact, I summon those kind of moments when I need to calm for a few minutes every so often.

I think that soul searching comes easier when you are out in nature, undistracted by all of the white noise of our daily lives.

[varjohaltia.livejournal.com]

The older and more "professional" I've gotten, the less time I have to just sort of float around and think about stuff. In school, and all the way through college in Finland, I used to just drive out, ditch the bike and walk into the forest, or find a secluded spot on the beach or wherever, and sit and listen to the wind and waves and smell the air and relax and let my thoughts wander. Alas, there are few places I've found here that are really suitable for that, or as easily reached.