“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”-Albert Einstein

One of my first teachers was nature, and I continue to learn from her, she never ceases to amaze and nurture me. I went for a short walk around my campsite while I was in Mt. Shasta, I felt safe because the group I was with had already taken that path. Off I went taking in the beauty, the fragrance, the peace of Mother Nature at her finest.

I then came to an intersection I did not recall, so I decided to go with my instinct and turn left although the road didn’t seem familiar to me, but as I neared a tall tree something made a noise and a white bird fluttered out and into the sky. I got startled so I decided not to push my luck and take the other route, as I walked up the other route I noticed a fence I hadn’t seen before, I knew then that that wasn’t the correct path back to my campsite. I then went back to the intersection and paused for a moment, slowed my thoughts, my fear, and told myself to breathe and calm down, ‘I am not lost’ I told myself. I looked at the path I had initially taken again and thought ‘well, if this isn’t the path back then I will soon find out’ so I gathered my courage and walked past the tree where I stopped the first time, to my surprise I was only a couple of feet away from my campsite, I felt totally relieved.

Lesson of the story, have the courage to follow the path your gut tells you, don’t allow fear and doubt hold you back.