365 Confessions
January 9, 2010
#9 Nature never ceases to amaze me

There are some moments in my life in which I come to realize that I’ve lived in a bubble for most of my life. Not necessarily by choice, but simply due to circumstance. One of the things that I haven’t had a lot of an opportunity to do is travel. So, even when I’m driving down a street I’ve never driven down I’m always extraordinarily curious, and can’t help but looking in every direction so quickly you’d think my neck would snap off.
I’m not completely oblivious to nature. Growing up we did a lot of camping and not so long ago my parents bought property out in Missouri in which I try to make at least one yearly trip. But aside from the type of nature that the Midwest has to offer I’m pretty oblivious. On my trip to San Francisco this past summer I was literally moved to tears as we flew over the mountains because I had never seen anything so vast and beautiful. Steve generally tends to laugh at me when we take trips because my child like wonder takes over and I try to suck in every sight and sound I can.

I’m trying to make it a priority in my life to travel and see new places. I enjoy being in cities and experiencing all the livelihood that people create, but my strongest desires are to be out in the wilderness. See plants and animals that I’ve only been able to dream of and live out my childhood fantasies of having adventures and exploring.

Although travel is a huge desire of mine, sometimes there are things right in my own back yard that can shock me. Today, out of boredom, stupidity and a desire to get a good picture I walked down to the lake front. I’ve never been to the Chicago beaches in the dead of winter and I was amazed. The way the snow and wind molded the sand into beautiful sculptures made me giggle with delight. My jaw literally dropped when I saw that the lake had frozen in such a way that it looked like the waves had instantaneously been turned to ice. It was a long, eerie and exhausting walk, but it was worth every second. It made me think of the long winter walks my family used to take around Long Branch Lake in Missouri when I was younger and it made me wish that my family with me to see everything with me.