Retreating to Nature

This weekend I spent my time isolated from all of humanity for 24 hours. I figured the best place to explore and not see anyone is Chautauqua. The weather forecast said it would be in the 80s and clear skies, which is extraordinary considering it snowed two weeks prior. I pitched a tent in a small clearing next to the river running into the lake. Once the tent was pitched, I went down into the creek for stones. Each rock I collected was about the size of my hand, and after I laid them out, it created a fire pit that was about two feet in diameter. Once the fire pit was ready to go, I searched for dried up branches to burn, and after only 20 minutes, the fire pit was full. Feeling confident at my campsite, I went out to relax. I dragged a kayak to the lake and traveled around the shore. The view looking inland from the kayak was stunning. I could see all sorts of wildlife minding their own business, from deers to birds. After paddling around the shore for some time, I went down the creek that ran next to my campsite. I had to travel about 200 yards down the stream to reach my campsite, but as soon as I entered the creek, things looked different. The last time I had been in the creek, only a few fish were active, now there is a variety of fish grazing of bugs on the surface of the water. Now when I paddle down the creek, I cannot see anything but greenery. On both sides, I am walled off from anything by the thick green. I had no way of knowing when I had reached my campsite, so now and then I would poke my head through the woods to see where I was. New life in the creek had begun, because over the time I spent paddling, I came across baby snapping turtles. It is crazy how those nimble little reptiles will grow to become large and sluggish. Eventually, I reached my campsite, dragged my kayak up, and rested it by my tent. I was thankful for the protein bars I had packed because after spending hours kayaking, I worked up an appetite. Sitting around at my campsite, staring into the woods had me both happy and sad about leaving my phone behind. I felt something was missing from my person yet realized how addicted we all are to our phones. At any moment of boredom, I could pick up my phone and disappear from my surrounding, but that was not an option here. Eventually, the sun set and the campfire began to crackle. I was expecting it to be therapeutic to spend a day outside the loop of social media and technology. I was not wrong, but after having the luxury of technology for 17 years, it was hard to give up even for a day. When I went to sleep, I was awestruck with the sounds. I can usually hear crickets from my bedroom, but what I heard was closer. The sound of the flowing creek with bullfrogs made it incredibly easy to relax my mind. I realized why it is essential that everyone experience a solo in those moments before I went to sleep. After someone stays in the wild for 24 hours, they will leave having immense respect for it. The wild does have danger, but in the threat is a beautiful display of Mother Nature and the force she is.