I was not originally attracted to nature. For me, nature was associated with the few minutes playing in the sandbox during recess or playing soccer in the nicely cut grass. Although I was aware that nature was good for you, I mostly thought it was solely good for offering fresh air when your head feels full.
Living in Michigan, nature presents itself in many forms such as sledding as fast as you can down the hill or swimming in one of the five great lakes. These experiences encouraged me to explore one of the raw forms of connecting with nature: camping. Although I had spent a lot of time outside, I had never camped or experienced all of what nature offers.
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My family went on our first camping trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. Unexperienced and unknowledgeable, we borrowed every book on what to bring when camping and travel itineraries on the Smoky Mountains. One popular attraction that stood out to me was Cades Cove, a scenic driving loop that offers some hiking trails to the waterfalls or Thunderhead Mountain. Although the park ranger had recommended that we just drive on the scenic loop because the hiking trails were rated ‘moderately difficult’, we decided to go on the trail to the waterfall anyway.
As an inexperienced hiker, it definitely proved to be rough. Carrying my backpack that was filled with water bottles, extra snacks, and sunscreen, I could feel the hot sun beating down on me, sweat dripping down my face. It was so rough to the point where I was thinking to myself, “Why bother? I can just look up pictures of the waterfalls at home”. However, a few agonizing minutes later, I could hear the pattering of the water and smell of raw moss, both things you can’t experience through a photograph. My eyes were soaking in the natural beauty of the white, frothy mist spraying as the water cascaded down the jagged rocks. At that moment, I was glad that I did not miss out on this valuable sight just because of a little portage. Suffering just a little hardship turned into finding a diamond in the rough.
After experiencing what camping could bring out of me, my soul felt challenged and alive. In every camping trip I went to after the Smoky Mountains, I learned to seek difficult trails knowing that any sweat or leg cramps that I felt on the way would pay off in the end because I would be able to see something I would not be able to experience if I had gone on the easy trail.
Nature has shaped me to always persevere even when it seems like the goal is not worth it. Nature taught me that the tough moments and breathtaking moments are both nourishing. The tough moments showed me my limits and how to break through them. Having experienced both sides of the spectrum, I realized I have to fully experience both in order to become even more thankful for those moments of pure joy.
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