I walked alone on the woodland path last night just as the sun was setting. The leaves were damp and lay over the path like a blanket. It led me to a dazzling lake, and there sat a weathered canoe as if waiting just for me. I climbed into it and started to paddle. I let my hands skim the surface, the water splashing and trickling through my hands. It was so resplendent. The lake shined a coral hue with streaks of amber and saffron, the colors blending like a painting in the reflection of the lake. The breeze kissed my cheeks, making them rosy with the frigid air. The wind danced off the waters and tossed my hair in every direction.

I stopped paddling and just sat there. I listened to the water rippling and the crickets beginning to sing their twilight song. I sat and reveled in being alone and began to think. Such a heavenly haven found in such a vile world, not yet tainted by human touch.

I breathed in the earthy aroma and tasted the dew-dropped atmosphere and pine trees that bordered the shore. It refreshed my soul with peace again.

I began to paddle toward the rocky shore just as the stars emerged. I climbed onto a rock and stared back at the lake, wishing that everything could be as simple and radiant as it was at this moment. My heart sensed a feeling of comfort and warmth. It was as if this were my one true home, where I belonged.

I walked back into the dark depths of the woods. As I left the haven, which I now call my treasure, I looked over my shoulder several times to admire its splendor. I continued home, to a place where nothing is quite the same. Back to a place where the beauty of the earth has been lost among the chaos of life.