Before Dawn
Thereās a particular quality to the forest at 6 AM that doesnāt exist at any other time. The light is soft, filtering through branches in pale blues and golds. The air carries a crispness that wakes you more gently than any coffee.
Iāve been walking the same trail for six months now. What started as a health habit has become something closer to a spiritual practice.
What the Trees Teach
Standing among organisms that have been alive for decades - some for centuries - shifts your perspective on time. Our urgent deadlines and pressing concerns seem smaller when viewed against the patient growth of an oak.
The forest operates on a different timescale:
- Seasons cycle predictably
- Growth happens imperceptibly
- Change is constant yet gradual
The Soundscape
In the early morning, before traffic picks up:
- Bird calls layer into complex harmonies
- Wind moves through different tree species with distinct sounds
- Water trickles somewhere, always
- Your own footsteps become part of the rhythm
Unexpected Encounters
Last week, I stood motionless for ten minutes while a deer grazed twenty feet away. We made eye contact, acknowledged each other, and went about our mornings.
These moments canāt be scheduled or demanded. They happen when you show up consistently, quietly, with attention.
Making Time
āI donāt have time for walksā was my excuse for years. Now I realize I didnāt have time not to take them. The mental clarity, physical energy, and emotional balance they provide make everything else more efficient.
The forest is always there. The question is whether weāll accept the invitation.