I had my eyes down to the ground, focusing carefully on each step forward on this slippery trail. I looked up, and you startled me, but I'm fairly sure I had startled you first.
We locked eyes, neither one of us wanted to make the first move. You were quite close, and normally I would continue on my way and let you be, but something about your gaze froze me...
It made me want to enjoy this encounter just a little longer.
I made myself smaller and crouched to the ground.
I guess you took that as a safe sign to continue eating, but your constant glances back to me made it well known that you were still mindful of my presence.
You walked further and further away, eating here and there, glancing and staring at me.
I stood up and continued on my way, only to do the same and glance back several times until you disappeared into the forest.
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I normally don't write such things, I don't really find myself creative in any type of medium. However, I wrote the above about an encounter with a deer on my most recent hike.
I started hiking on and off in 2013, but I didn't treat it as a serious hobby until 2015. At the beginning of this year, I only made one concrete resolution for 2016: to complete 24 hikes. It didn't many the distance, it didn't matter if I repeated trails. All I wanted to do was to get out and hike more.
2016 marks 100 years for National Park Service. Take a chance some time this year to find a national park or even a state park near you and celebrate the centennial.
Catherine Angwin
[email protected]
Washington, DC