| General Fiction posted February 1, 2022 |
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When city noise becomes too much. (573 words)
Shying Away From It
by LisaMay
The pressure of urban living had been weighing on Gemma more than usual lately. Initially she’d enjoyed her move to the city to progress her career, but over time she’d realised she was a country girl at heart and missed the tranquility. Redevelopment of the city centre meant jackhammers and heavy machinery were disturbing the peace. It also meant there were fewer green spaces left. It made Gemma aware of how much she yearned for nature’s comfort. She needed to find her ‘Walden Pond’, to refresh her soul with simple living in natural surroundings.
Gemma, who had a shy personality, just wanted some time to herself, to be left alone to think her own thoughts and to write them down. To do this she needed peaceful vibes, and they sure were lacking lately. Everything seemed to turn into a noisy drama – with her loud flatmate, her bossy boyfriend, her parent’s ambitions for her. Was she really so weird that everyone wanted to change her all the time? She began to think she was a square peg in a round hole, with everyone trying to beat her down to fit in.
She’d change all right. She’d change her situation, even if it were only for a week or so, to get away from the chaotic din of other people. All that hubbub – the loud parties, the noisy traffic, the vocal criticism – were doing her head in.
With ten day’s leave approved, Gemma organised her camping equipment and supplies and drove to Fernydale Forest. In her university days, she’d belonged to the hiking club and this was an area Gemma knew well. She’d be left alone to replenish her spirit in these surroundings.
Leaving her car parked at the trailhead, Gemma hiked for several hours through the forest, eventually arriving at a sheltered spot in a secluded glade, where she pitched her little tent. Late afternoon sun angled through the tall trees, like dappled beams through cathedral windows. A medley of soothing sounds came from the tumbling stream which flowed into a pond nearby. Birdsong added to the gentle ambience; a lizard rustled through fallen leaves. Human company was absent for Gemma, but forest life went on around her.
She lay back and relaxed, feeling the city tension ebb away. At last she was left alone with no-one to bother her. Her gaze travelled upward, along the nubbled bark of soaring tree trunks as she reflected on her solitary state. Overhead, the trees’ canopies didn’t tangle together, grabbing at each other or noisily thrashing to get away. There was a defined space, a discrete separation, like a halo around the crown of each tree. From her botanical studies, Gemma knew this adaptive behaviour was called ‘crown shyness’.
The trees in this forest know how to live, better than we do. Each is an individual, yet they grow here for company, while respecting each other’s personal space. Social distancing comes naturally to them.
Gemma mused on the concept of ‘aloneness’ and ‘loneliness’. Some people freaked out when they were alone. For them, it was like being in solitary confinement – a horrid thought. They couldn’t handle silence, either, needing constant noise. Here, Gemma felt the benefit of her solitude, with just a subtle background murmur as the forest whispered a benediction. She felt the blessing deep within and knew she was where she needed to be. Next week was a million miles away.
Left alone in the forest contest entry
The pressure of urban living had been weighing on Gemma more than usual lately. Initially she’d enjoyed her move to the city to progress her career, but over time she’d realised she was a country girl at heart and missed the tranquility. Redevelopment of the city centre meant jackhammers and heavy machinery were disturbing the peace. It also meant there were fewer green spaces left. It made Gemma aware of how much she yearned for nature’s comfort. She needed to find her ‘Walden Pond’, to refresh her soul with simple living in natural surroundings.
Gemma, who had a shy personality, just wanted some time to herself, to be left alone to think her own thoughts and to write them down. To do this she needed peaceful vibes, and they sure were lacking lately. Everything seemed to turn into a noisy drama – with her loud flatmate, her bossy boyfriend, her parent’s ambitions for her. Was she really so weird that everyone wanted to change her all the time? She began to think she was a square peg in a round hole, with everyone trying to beat her down to fit in.
She’d change all right. She’d change her situation, even if it were only for a week or so, to get away from the chaotic din of other people. All that hubbub – the loud parties, the noisy traffic, the vocal criticism – were doing her head in.
With ten day’s leave approved, Gemma organised her camping equipment and supplies and drove to Fernydale Forest. In her university days, she’d belonged to the hiking club and this was an area Gemma knew well. She’d be left alone to replenish her spirit in these surroundings.
Leaving her car parked at the trailhead, Gemma hiked for several hours through the forest, eventually arriving at a sheltered spot in a secluded glade, where she pitched her little tent. Late afternoon sun angled through the tall trees, like dappled beams through cathedral windows. A medley of soothing sounds came from the tumbling stream which flowed into a pond nearby. Birdsong added to the gentle ambience; a lizard rustled through fallen leaves. Human company was absent for Gemma, but forest life went on around her.
She lay back and relaxed, feeling the city tension ebb away. At last she was left alone with no-one to bother her. Her gaze travelled upward, along the nubbled bark of soaring tree trunks as she reflected on her solitary state. Overhead, the trees’ canopies didn’t tangle together, grabbing at each other or noisily thrashing to get away. There was a defined space, a discrete separation, like a halo around the crown of each tree. From her botanical studies, Gemma knew this adaptive behaviour was called ‘crown shyness’.
The trees in this forest know how to live, better than we do. Each is an individual, yet they grow here for company, while respecting each other’s personal space. Social distancing comes naturally to them.
Gemma mused on the concept of ‘aloneness’ and ‘loneliness’. Some people freaked out when they were alone. For them, it was like being in solitary confinement – a horrid thought. They couldn’t handle silence, either, needing constant noise. Here, Gemma felt the benefit of her solitude, with just a subtle background murmur as the forest whispered a benediction. She felt the blessing deep within and knew she was where she needed to be. Next week was a million miles away.
Author's Note regarding reference to Walden Pond:
Walden Pond is a lake in Concord, Massachusetts in the United States. The writer Henry David Thoreau - transcendentalist, and philosopher - lived on the northern shore of the pond for two years from the summer of 1845, recording his experience in 'Walden (Life in the Woods)'. Thoreau's friend and mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, let Thoreau use his land for his experiment, that of living simply and deliberately. Walden Pond came to symbolise almost everything Thoreau held dear spiritually, philosophically, and personally. It symbolises the alternative to, and withdrawal from, social conventions and obligations.
This story is not autobiographical, but some aspects are based on my own experiences of solo hiking and camping.
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one point
and 2 member cents. Walden Pond is a lake in Concord, Massachusetts in the United States. The writer Henry David Thoreau - transcendentalist, and philosopher - lived on the northern shore of the pond for two years from the summer of 1845, recording his experience in 'Walden (Life in the Woods)'. Thoreau's friend and mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, let Thoreau use his land for his experiment, that of living simply and deliberately. Walden Pond came to symbolise almost everything Thoreau held dear spiritually, philosophically, and personally. It symbolises the alternative to, and withdrawal from, social conventions and obligations.
This story is not autobiographical, but some aspects are based on my own experiences of solo hiking and camping.
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