Angela White: Natural Setting 1: The Nolan Trail

Last year a friend and I decided to go on what we considered to be an adventure through the nature paths throughout the woods behind the Mariner's Museum. We did not know at the time that it was actually called the Nolan Trail, so we made up a name for it. We did not want anyone to know what it was so we called it "Anderson". We felt like a name so common and nondescript would help to keep it a secret from our other friends that we chose to leave behind on our journey. While wandering this place that we called Anderson we came along this little break along the path that opened up to the water. The two of us sat down next to the water for hours, just talking and skipping rocks, simply bonding with each other. There is a tree next to this clearing that has a big hole right in the trunk. For some reason, this tree stuck out to me. I could not stop looking at it. It was almost like this tree had a hole in its heart. The tree reached out to me, sort of spiritually. I feel like the tree understood each other. My friend and I do not go to this place together anymore, but a couple of weeks ago I went on a walk there by myself. When I saw this tree, it immediately reached back at me, and I remembered the effect that it had on me before like it had just happened yesterday. Going there by myself and seeing that tree with the hole in it almost made me understand it even more. It was like the tree was missing something, just like I was. That tree and I are best friends now.