Swinging in my hammock, around I see a small draining pond with trees surrounding. The world seems quiet. I hear a brisk sound of the wind whispering through the trees. All around me the leaves are changing colors signifying early fall, one of my favorite times of year.  Nature always seems to leave me in awe. The first time I saw the high mountains or the deep sea are memories I will never forget. The simple Minnesota scenery is something I take for granted. The beauty I see around me may not be here forever.

Our College English class went to the school’s forest to write a paper. The short warm bus ride did not prepare us for the three hours we spent in the forest. Starting the day, I was excited to go to explore. Starting to walk I was attracted to a small pond where I met up with some friends. We found great hammock trees and set up camp for a few hours. The sun that was trying to peak out to provide me with a extra layer of warmth. I got settled in, and started to relax and let my pen write.

As I laid there, my eyes shifted toward the sky. I saw clouds flying by as if they are cars racing around a track. I think about how life is flying by, it seems like yesterday my middle school teachers were warning me about how fast the next four years will be. Being a middle school student I didn’t believe them. Now in only a few short months I will graduate and be an adult. With a blink of an eye senior year is going by extremely quick, it seems like yesterday it was the first day of school. Good times fly by.  

One of the most amazing experiences I have ever had in nature was in Colorado last year. I was with my sister Hope, and her friend Maddy. We were on our way to Utah. We planned to stop and hike a short hike, but this hike was not short. Right away we were all full of energy from the long car ride, eager to hike. Then we started climbing. This hike was the most strenuous hike of my life. But the view was worth it. When we got to the top of Hanging Lake in Glenwood Springs Colorado, my jaw literally dropped and I felt as if I could look at this for the rest of my life. I never knew something could be so beautiful. The brightness of the water and the dead trees made the scene look alive and full of energy. While looking at the water, I wondered what the future of this place holds as life flies by.

While laying in my hammock covered in a fuzzy blanket, the world seemed to stand still. Not a worry about my future, or stressing about school; I just layed there. Life seems to get in the way sometimes. Sitting here life seemed slow, not flying by. This is one of the best things about nature, I can just get away from the complications of life. The few hours we were at the forest I felt like life could pause. In that moment, I could have stayed there forever. Looking up I remembered life is flying by around me.

Still laying in my hammock I look at the views around me. I think the most amazing thing God created was nature. He created each leaf differently and pulled up each tree to a different height. God created every little detail I saw. Yet he also allows time to fly by, and soon it will be over before we know it. Like a blink of an eye the three hours were over and we were on the warm bus heading back to the school.