The Forest--Arianna

When I was sixteen years old, I moved houses. It wasn't anything too drastic. I didn't have to change schools or say goodbye to my friends or anything. All I had to do was go towards a more nature dominated area of the town. Needless to say, it was one of the most exciting things I've ever experienced in my life. The reason for that was due to the fact that my new backyard was a forest! Can you imagine that? A huge forest that everyone wanted a piece of, and I had it all to myself. Luckily for me, my new house was fairly close to the school. In fact, it was only about five blocks away, so it was within walking distance. I loved being there so much that I would often pay it a visit during lunch. No one would really notice that I left campus since the staff and students were all busy with their own endeavors, so it was the perfect time for me to go. I would run down the street in order to get there as quickly as possible. Then, I’d enjoy my food in peace and tranquility until it was time for me to head back over to school. From that point on, I’d impatiently count down the time it took for the final bell to ring so that I could have an everlasting visitation with the forest. 

My favorite tree would always be waiting for me a little ways from my back door. It was about twenty-five feet tall, and it was full of branches sticking out every which way, making it incredibly easy to climb. Near the top of it, there’s this net-like formation of the tree’s limbs. It allowed me to lie directly in the center of it without having to worry about plummeting to the bottom. Whenever I was at the top, I was able to get this beautiful, double-sided view of my surroundings. On one side, I would be able to see a majority of the greenland I lived by since it was sloped downward and I was at the top of the hill. On the other side, I got a perfect view of the whole town. I’d enjoy the forest perspective during the day as I admired its everlasting colors of spring. Then, I’d enjoy the city perspective at night since that’s when all the lights would shy away from concealment. During the night, the city lights glistened much like a starry

sky that was on the ground. The view I enjoyed the most would definitely be the one of the actual sky. Different constellations and shooting stars would make their presence clearly visible to me once I lied back on my net formation of branches on my favorite tree. Whenever I looked up at the sky, I felt so small because I found myself looking at the bigger picture of the universe I lived in. I always came to the realization that most problems we face are trivial, and we shouldn’t worry so much about things that can be easily forgotten. It would be much easier to forgive, forget, and move on. 

The forest was my personal space to have these moments of introspection. That’s why I enjoyed being there so often. I practically lived in one of the trees. There were some broken branch nubs that I used as hooks to hold onto either my backpack or one of my sweaters. I would frequently refill my backpack’s supply of food and drinks. Usually, there’d be some snacks like crackers with cheese, grapes, and juice boxes. I’d also have my sketchbook and notebook with me so I could practice drawing or write down whatever was on my mind at the time. There are no words to describe the extent of contentment that this forest brought me. I was able to enjoy the nature around me and forget about all of my troubles as I wandered around my green wonderland. I felt more at home in my backyard than in my own bedroom. 

Eventually, my overthinking and excessive worrying directed itself back onto my path, despite me being satisfied with my new environment. A thought occurred to me that nothing lasts forever. Then I thought to myself, “What if I lose the forest?” After that, I began to question everything about the recent lifestyle I’ve created for myself. I imagined worst case scenarios in which I moved again and would have to bid farewell to my one and only safeplace. The forest had served as my escape from the reality of the world. While I was in there, the only thing I had to worry about was restocking my snack supply in my backpack. Could I be content without the forest? After asking myself this, I came to the realization that I have allowed myself to be completely dependent on my backyard for happiness. Now, I have no recollection of how I managed to get through the days beforehand. I don’t believe that I can go on in my life without the forest because it is always present to give me a break from my real life. With that being said, I now live in a constant fear. I’m afraid that one day my greatest treasure will be taken from me and I will be left with nothing.