A Walk in The Ravines

As soon as I entered the small clearing, I was transported to a whole new world. The grassy, open field was replaced with a wooded wonderland. In front of me, a small, beaten path that led as far as my eyes could see. Ahead of me was what looked like a natural archway, where trees had curled over and provided even more cover from the outside world.

The hike started downhill, and I had to carefully watch my step because the ground was slightly uneven and random roots stuck out haphazardly. For anyone else this may not be a huge problem, but my feet are notorious for finding a flat surface to trip over. My trusty travel companion, my boyfriend Jon, knows this all too well, and made sure to warn me of anything that he deemed not “Emma-proof”. We make it a point to go out in the Ravines frequently, and either just walk around or set up a hammock and just be in nature. He understood that this trip in particular was for class and that I needed some time to be quiet in nature, but I didn't see that as an issue because he usually ends up taking a small nap once the hammock goes up.

The path took us to a tiny creek with only one way to cross: a fairly rickety-looking slab of something that served as a bridge. Once we safely crossed, we were faced with a looming, not very “Emma-proof” looking hill. Slowly but surely we made it up, but not without a few close calls and stops to catch our breath. It was so worth it though, standing on the crest and looking out through the tops of the trees took my breath away, and not because I was out of shape.

We walked a little farther until we found two sturdy trees at a good distance apart to set up the hammock. As I predicted, a few minutes in Jon fell silent and his breathing deepened. I also closed my eyes, but made myself aware of every sound I heard. Birds singing, trees shifting in the wind, and the soft echo of the river filled my ears. A few minutes in, I was startled to hear the Clock Tower chiming in the distance. I began to really look at what was around me. There is something unexplainably calming about being surrounded by tall trees and feeling very small yourself. I think it is because no matter what your worries are, they also seem small in comparison when you look around, and as far as your eyes can see is the greatness of the natural world.