Elsewhere

Evan Bird
Evan Bird
Sep 8, 2018 · 4 min read

Wandering through the ferns and shrubs, I never thought that one moment — so memorable and so beautifully picturesque — could change the way I viewed the world and its wonders. I felt the soft, moist dirt squish and crumble beneath my feet, a pleasant and satisfying sound. The air tasted crisp and humid, but the afternoon had warmed the shadows of the canopy to the perfect blend of temperature and atmosphere. Even though I had walked and hiked for hours, the scene still rejuvenated me. A hairy woodpecker called from its perch as it drummed into the enormous trunk and dined on the insect delicacies residing within. The giant sequoias that took over this land permeated the ground and underbrush where the long quills of a porcupine stood long and firm in the midst of its shorter, softer fur. I walked, mouth agape, eyes bright with the wonder of a child on his birthday as I invested myself in the beauty around me. The crisp taste of the mist and the gossamer brush of a fern leaf beckoned me to forget all other thoughts and just live this moment amidst the sweet, alluring fragrance of this damp forest world. From every direction, the soft breeze rustled the leaves , its rhythmic crescendos followed by momentary silence, much as the lull of a receding surf. The lush,verdant lower foliage complemented the rich mahogany bark of the giant trees, and this symbiosis of color and size — this perfect balance — left me serene to a degree I had never known before.

Turning a corner on our path, I saw the hill climbing to the right, and the valley dipping to the left. The dew and rain had partially evaporated from the surrounding slopes and had settled in this parabolic depression. The resulting vapor blanketing this enchanted forest stretched far beyond my vision. The shield of the redwood sentries had blocked the sun all day, but that ball of light now rested low enough in the sky that it leaked through a chink in the armor. I watched as the rays of light descended into the valley and gracefully dipped into the cool mist. Immediately, the light expanded, illuminating the valley’s twists, turns, and bunches. What happened next seemed nothing short of a miracle. The golden light wrapped around every twig, every trunk, every branch, every leaf, and every speck of dirt until everything in my sight emanated a golden aura. I looked down at my hands and saw this same resplendence around me, weaving between my fingertips, twisting around my arms, tickling my skin with the warmth of the afternoon. The new energy in the air had a quiet but sharp tang as it danced across my taste buds. The newly aromatic and vibrant atmosphere appeared unexpectedly, but I welcomed it wholeheartedly. A soft hum seemed to electrify the whole forest. It pierced my ears, not with sharpness or stridency, but with an energy of revelation, as if the world had just shared its most precious secret. I stopped, eyes bugging, hands outstretched, face pointed toward the heavens, knees trembling, as I absorbed this moment.

The new energy tingled throughout my being, overwhelmingly powerful and more vibrant than I could fully comprehend. Muscles in my back and shoulders relaxed completely for what felt like the first time. The constant stress of a pubescent schoolboy dissipated until only tranquility remained. My senses opened, and I experienced the world in its purest and most potent beauty. Each sense filled itself with the unrestrained symphony of a thousand parts, each perfectly tuned and playing its own masterpiece. I felt a kind of pain as well, for in the moment of my delight, my senses flooded with so much sensory input that my diaphragm had remained stagnant. I promptly inhaled, realizing the true meaning of the expression “breathtaking.”

As my family and the trail ahead came back into focus, the enchantment I had just experienced began to fade. They, too, had stopped to see the valley, but the light seemed to have had less effect on them. Still in a daze, I continued onward, looking over my shoulder to memorize every plant, every tree, every leaf, every spiral of fog, desperately trying to forever engrave the whole of this remarkable memory into my soul.

This experience transformed my view on the natural beauty of the world. I had always found beauty, peace, and serenity in my surroundings, but never had I lived through such a profound and tender moment as amidst Nature’s redwood steeples. Since then, my eyes have been freed from their color-dampening lenses, my ears uncorked, my nose unstopped, my tongue more reactive, and my fingers stripped of the calluses that lessened the sense of touch. That brief and intimate communion with Beauty changed my life forever, for I will always know that elsewhere always lies a world foreign to the stresses and constraints of the present. Elsewhere lies a world that awaits my return to welcome and embrace me.

Evan Bird

Written by

Evan Bird

Literally just some dude who has some ideas bouncing around in his head. If you like them, that’s awesome; if not, that’s still awesome (I’m sorry?).