Wednesday 20 June 2012

A Way Through the Wood

** I am going to be sharing a silly amount of pictures today. I make no apology for it, but, well, just so you know... **

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I know. Right? I just couldn't help myself. This post is like a walk through the woods for when I can't get out of dodge - I can almost taste the oxygen through the screen.

Last week the babes and I headed out. I had been feeling twitchy and tetchy all week, spiralling into something like a waking-state coma, catatonic, is that what they call it? The babes were looking stressed, I was feeling stressed, we were all like coiled springs and it wasn't going to end well.

Then the epiphany - why had it taken me so long to realise - we needed to get out of the city and recharge. We needed to have space to breathe. We needed a whole lot of nature to get back to. We headed out to the forest.

Parking up and opening the doors my children exploded out of the car and into the forest like a damn breaking. And the first sound from them were two contented, real, sighs and deep breaths. They spread their arms and ran. They knew where their old haunts were and made straight for them, off track of course, and I followed on behind, finding the path through the wood. Finding the path back to myself.

It is true that I am at my happiest in a forest, anywhere with trees. I crave solitude and the need is increasing as I get older. I need to get away from human-made noise, just beat a way through the wood and reconnect with something older, quieter, subtler, and more authentic than the crazy, mindless, forgetfulness that we call 'civilization'.

The babes played, discovered, sought and found. I walked, aiming my camera at everything pretty (everything). And before I realised it, without me knowing, there it was - the stress was gone. I was calm, content, happy, grateful. There was the real breathing I had come to expect from this place - pain had been replaced with joy.

We stayed out til we were out of breath, all stretched out, oxygen-rich. Then we headed home. Together. Content.


12 comments:

  1. Beautiful, thank you for sharing.

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  2. Thankyou for talking the walk with us :)

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  3. oh, so true. being in the woods resets me and all of us, i think. your photos alone make me long for it... and i was out in it for at least half the day!

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  4. It never gets old does it?

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  5. Ahhhh...such wonderful photos! Feel like I have walked in your shoes...thank you for sharing!

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  6. Well Thankyou for joining us on the walk! :)

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  7. That's it! I am getting out of this house tomorrow insha Allah! Those pics are gorgeous. Masha Allah.

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  8. Shukran. I hope you find some peace and good air when you're out...xx

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  9. Alhamdulillah, i feel relaxed just looking at your pics. I always feel so refreshed after a woods or waterside trip too, its just so natural and reminds us that the material life is worthless compared to the nuturing of our souls in Gods natural settings. When im feeling stressed me and D head down to the canal or to a country park and absolutely always feel so much better after that.

    Aqeela xx

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  10. Your photos are beautiful. I've been feeling quite anxious the past couple days, maybe a nature break is just what I need. Thank you for the reminder.

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  11. Get out, keep walking til you cant hear anything but birdsong xx

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  12. How true, a little bit of earthing goes a long way...subhanAllah

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