I grew up in the country. Whaleyville--in Suffolk, VA. 5 miles from the NC State Line to Gates County. While our house was on a "major highway", my neighbors were an empty lot on the right, a holiness church on the left and behind me and in front of me was corn. Lots of it. There was a dirt path (that someone eventually decided to turn into a road for whatever reason) that separated our house from our great-grandmother's house on Robertson St, a small dead end road which also housed my elementary school. Almost everyone who lived on that street (there were 8 houses if I counted correctly) was related to me. There was a giant (huge) open field next to my grandmother's house and before they put that stupid road in the way, that's where we would play kickball, softball, etc.
I say all of this to get to this--we spent a LOT of time outside when we were kids. Bike riding, skateboarding, sports, mudpies, jump rope, you name it we did it. There were a great many kids that lived around me (most of them my cousins) and we were all outdoor kids. Because back then before the over-wave of technology, that's what you did. You played outside. All day. Until the streetlight came on.
One of my favorite things to do was to go exploring in the woods around my house and neighborhood. I didn't think about the possibility of running into a snake or some other creature that might freak me out. I just wanted to find things and see things. I wasn't very good at climbing trees, but that didn't stop me from trying. Lindsey B. and I were always wandering around in the overgrown grass and trees near her house as well. There was just something fun about never knowing what you will see or find. I liked finding wild fruit--there was a fig tree hidden in the woods near my house, some wild berry plants, honeysuckle (my favorite!), and a few others. I loved searching for 4-leaf clovers; I used to collect them and my mother would laminate them for me. I used to be able to find them so quickly! This was life when I was a child.
In my later years, I fell in love with the water. I loved to go sit in my car by the water in Portsmouth or Norfolk. Virginia Beach was great too, just a lot further for me to go. Sometimes I would go walk Waterside and just listen to the water move. I spent a lot of time here, even after my son was born. He loved riding in the car and he would sleep as long as he was comfortable in his car seat. Whenever I was frustrated, whenever I just needed to get away, this is where I would go.
I think that's why I missed Newport News when I first moved here to Alexandria. I was surrounded by nature parks, water, beautiful places to explore. I drove across a bridge every single day so I always got to see the sun rising over the water in the morning, and the beauty of the city lights reflection on the water at night. For whatever reason, I didn't realize that I could still have those moments here.
But thanks to my dear friend Robin, I have started to discover there are many places around me that are similar if not even more amazing than the places I used to visit. I've driven the road along Belle Haven which is beautiful at night and I love walking around my neighborhood. I take short walks during my lunch break and just try to enjoy the environment. When I moved up here and was working for Studio in DC, I used to walk from 7th and M to 14th and P every day. And everyday I would take a different route, just to explore and see the environment.
I think there's a lot to be said about my love for nature. I enjoy the variables of it. It's a constant but not, because the trees are ever changing, the flowers bloom and then they don't. The water moves or stays still. Even the moon with its consistent shape is ever changing to us visually--sometimes you see it all, sometimes you don't. Life is like that too isn't it? Ever-changing, blooming or dying, moving or standing, apparent or non-existent.
As I'm writing this right now, I'm watching the sun come in through the window and bounce off the floor. The beauty of it makes me smile and I can't wait to go stand in it, breathe the fresh air, and become whole again. Enjoy your day.
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