Safe Place

21 February 2019

With the cool air blowing my hair and the leaves crunching beneath my feet I walk into the woods. My dog Mia by my side as excited as I am to escape into another world. The whirl-wind of emotions from the day wash away with every breath of fresh air that I inhale. I have never had such constant and direct access to nature and the woods before I came to Guilford. Entering the woods there are numerous paths to pick from. As we choose we are surrounded by trees that vary in width, height, and age.

I find a fallen tree and take a minute to just admire my surroundings. Mia goes off on a trail of smells that takes her off onto another path. As I sit I take a deep breath and begin to write. I write about how to air smells fresh, well at least fresher than the air in my apartment. I can hear the sounds of birds and wonder what kind they are. I look around but I do not see anything. I close my eyes and keep listening, imagining what the birds look like. Mia returns to me looking excited to show me all of the fun she had in the dirt.

Walking in the woods we meet other people walking their own dogs. The shadows of the leaves and branches project images on the paths from the sunlight shining through the cracks. As we keep exploring we find a fire pit. There is a trash can with a bunch of beer cans piled up. At least they are in a trash can. It just reminds me of the imprint that humans have made on nature. The cans pollute the ground. This is just a little example of the waste that us humans create. Mia runs over and begins to play with one. She does not notice that these cans are not a natural part of the woods. As we leave our adventure for the day, I am left with many questions about the woods that I love so dearly.

The woods have played an important role in my mental health over my time here at Guilford. Being outside has encouraged me to be more in tune with myself internally and externally. I think more about how I am feeling emotionally as well as I appreciate my surroundings more. I want to know more about the animals and plants the inhabit the woods.

The following blog posts will be about the adventures that I have with my dog Mia have in the Guilford woods over the semester. I will be writing creatively as well as gathering information about the woods. I will show you the different kinds of trees and birds and other things that inhabit the woods. I am also going to look into the history of the woods. I hope to learn more about one of my favorite places at Guilford and be able to share this information with others.