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I believe forests have healing power. I just feel it in my bones. While running through the forest at Voorhees State Park this morning, I thought, "We ought to be treating kids with ADD or behavior problems by taking them there." I don't think you even have to know or believe in its health benefits to get them. But the woods are where I choose to go when life feels hard, scattered or broken. Which leads me to a story:
A few weeks after agreeing to a divorce that I didn't want (5 years ago), I headed out for a walk in a wildlife preserve just down the road. I'd been there before. It's a small area with good paths. It was about 3:00 in the afternoon and there was some snow on the ground, although it was a fairly warm day. I had my cell phone with me, so when a friend called, I kept walking while chatting. Only to realize after we hung up that I'd lost my way. "OK. Don't panic. It's a small forest. This is mostly a loop. This is NJ for God's sake. There is always a house or traffic nearby." I began trying to work my way back but discovered I had walked in a circle. Maybe more than once. At this point it occurs to me that maybe I wasn't doing so well emotionally over the whole divorce thing and it was affecting my critical thinking. More hiking -- and the sun was beginning to go down..."It's too cold to stay out here overnight. Call 911 and ask for help. Don't be ridiculous, you'll look like a fool. Try to find your way out again. OK."
A healthy concern rising, I decide to swallow my pride and call 911. It relays for some unknown reason to another County -- and even though I can tell them precisely what park I'm at, they seem unable to get their act together before the cell phone battery dies. "OK, you're just going to have to work it out!! You were a Girl Scout; you can do this." Which I did. And on the way out, coming up the path I now know is the way back to my car, are two State Troopers. Crap. One says, "How did you get lost out here? It's just a loop!" I tried to explain that the map is really not correct; there are many side paths but they didn't seem to believe me. And I knew the whole, "going through a divorce not thinking too good" explanation would be wasted on them. Didn't tell anyone that story for a long time! Proud moment. Getting lost in a park. Oh dear.
But I generally don't fear being alone in other forests. I'm pretty careful -- I pay more attention. I wear one of those exercise identification tags, mostly so if something happens they can identify the body and call some family. But I expect the best in forests. I expect peace and beauty and when I leave, I feel refreshed and re-energized.
How does a forest feel to you? Any good forest tales?