Can You Smell the Woods?

My body trembled as I moved through the woods. I tried to corral my racing thoughts, paying no attention to my surroundings. I wanted to flee the trauma that had been dredged up in the seminar that morning.

Emotions that I usually kept locked up in a dark closet in the recesses of my mind had been let loose. I was afraid that it would be impossible to herd them back into their closet. My physical shaking was a reaction to the inward turmoil.

I was determined to reach a certain spot. I needed space. I needed quiet. I needed safety.

A whiff of the surrounding woods seized my attention. I halted mid-stride as the saying "stop and smell the roses" came to mind. I breathed in the pungent, earthy aroma of moss, fallen leaves, and a nearby marsh.

A chorus of crickets and frogs drifted up to me from the marsh. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves high above my head. I heard birds singing and flitting from branch to branch.

I could feel the tension leaving my body. I noticed I wasn't shaking anymore. A sense of peace and safety enveloped me. Now I strolled along the path, taking everything in.

Movement caught my eye. I turned to see a squirrel scurry up a nearby tree, his tiny claws scraping the bark in his hasty retreat. Rays of sun filtering down set dark trunks against a luminous background of green, yellow, and red leaves.

When I reached my destination, I heard water babbling over rocks. I eased myself down onto the plank bridge overlooking the stream. Biting into a juicy, sweet apple I closed my eyes and savored the flavor.

I watched leaves drift away on the water, carrying with them the tangle of debris from my mind. After a much-needed conversation with God, I knew I could face the rest of the day. This retreat would be a place of healing and I would come out stronger for it.