Wild Sanctuary

Wild Sanctuary 

Personal Experience 

October 19, 2015

Finding quiet can be a difficult task in college. Last year as a freshman I was crammed into a dorm with two other roommates, both of whom brought televisions and used them frequently. The hall we lived on was notoriously loud until around 2am in the morning when things would simmer down. Though the beginner’s energy can be fun and contagious, it quickly wore off on me. The incessant noise can be overbearing on one’s soul. I found myself waking up at 7am each morning, to soak in the eerie silence that my soul was crying out for. But even this was not enough to remedy my thirst. What I needed was a physical detachment from that place; a sanctuary away from community where I could be alone, think, and unwind. I found that place to be right in my backyard: the Nolan Trail. Since I discovered it I have been running the Nolan Trail at least twice a week. Almost every time I venture away from campus and run the Nolan I feel a physical relinquishment of stress and anxiety. It is as if physical burdens fall off my back as I run through the woods. I am warned of the dangers of living in my head and reap the benefits of thinking in the outdoors instead. On the Nolan I have no need to prove myself or seek the acclaim of others. I can simply be. To me, the Nolan Trail is a wild sanctuary. Every run around Lake Maury seals my day with a blessing. After running, I always feel as if I have more of myself go give away to others, my mind is recharged to tackle assignments, and the time only seems to multiply.