A Sacred Place in NoVA

12/1

I wrote this journal nearly a year and a half ago, but thought it was worth posting here. I have found a sacred place in the heart of suburban northern Virginia where I can encounter nature and God. This class gives me a new perspective on this place. 

The water sure is high today. I haven’t seen it this high in years. Although that’s largely due to the fact that I don’t come down here nearly as often as I’d like. That needs to change. I almost considered bringing my iPod. In hindsight, I should have. Not to listen to music; the most beautiful song in the world would be outshone by the cascading waterfall behind where I sit, the gentle roaring of the river before me, and the silent air, unoccupied by birdsong. It’s too early and frankly too cold for them. I only wish that I had brought my iTouch to get picture of the miracle that surrounds me. Oh well. Pictures are nice, but sometimes on must be willing to let beauty occupy the moment and fade into memory, rather than imprisoning it in a frame on a wall. 

There are very few places in the greater DC area that one could consider naturally beautiful. Most of this area is nothing but office buildings, traffic, and suburbia. Downtown has its moments with the cherry blossoms, but even those are surrounded by busy streets and heartbreaking homelessness. For all the money the D.C. metropolitan area has, we sure have a lot of homeless people. Great Falls by far has the most spectacular display of nature around here. Thousands of tourists and locals flood the Maryland side of Great Falls National Park to hike a number of different trails, or absorb the history of the canal. The Virginia side isn’t nearly as good. That’s one of the few things I’ll give to Maryland; their Great Falls is better than our Great Falls. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of hiking along side the river, climbing small rock faces where ever I could get out of my parent’s view. But I’m not at Great Falls right now. 

When you live in McLean for as long as my dad has, you find some pretty remarkable spots; nooks and secrets of the land that few know about or take the time to explore. Some spots are so good, you keep them to yourself. Some spots are too good to be so selfish with. Berling Park is one of those latter spots. At the top of a path trough the woods from the parking lot at the Langley Swim Club pool, there lies a vast wilderness of forest, cliffs, hills, and streams; at least, a vast wilderness by NoVA standards. Berling features long trails, exclusive deer hunting, and paths that hug the Potomac river. Yes, I said hunting. Contrary to popular belief, there is still hunting in northern Virginia. Given, it’s only bow hunting, and it’s very limited, but still; people do hunt around here. Ancient trees with massive trunks tower over dirt paths that wind up and down and every which way. Occasionally, a map will point to your current location in the "park," if one could even call it that, and show where the parking lot is and what trails lead different ways. Most of the people who hike at Berling are middle aged parents with large dogs. The dogs are usually off of their leashes, so if you’re not a big dog person, I don’t suggest it. 

At the top of a long hill stands the foundation to an old house; dating to the Civil war, I assume, although it could be much earlier. Forests have a remarkable ability to exist without regard for the passing of time; people from hundreds of years ago could walk the trails of Berling and feel right at home. All that remains of the house is a large chimney, a pile of rocks forming a crude bench, and an amazing overlook to the river. Directly past the chimney, steep cliffs drop rapidly to a path below. A defined trail navigates the cliffs, but the descent is still treacherous. Though tiring, it saves about fifteen minutes of monotonous walking, if one were to take an alternate route. Besides, anything worth doing is worth losing your breath over. A long dirt road parallels the river at the base of the cliffs. Next to the river, the sounds of 495 and airplanes are washed out by rushing water. Sometimes, a kayak or fishing boat can be seen, but not often; the current is too fast for most water activities. I like it better that way. The rest of this area is so crowded. Let the river be. 

If one were to take a left on the dirt road, it would lead to a small cove with a beautiful waterfall and deep pools of water. People have been known to swim here, but not me. Not now, at least. It's 7:45 on a Monday in the middle of  January. Before you ridicule me for skipping school, please note: its Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I didn’t realize that until I arrived at Oakton this morning to see that I was indeed the only sucker that didn’t check the calendar. I noticed the roads were especially clear this morning while on my way to school. Oh well. I got to see the Oakton parking lot completely void of cars, which is something I’ve never seen before. Waking up early also gave me the freedom to come watch the sun rise on the Potomac while sitting next to a waterfall, in the most beautiful place in Northern Virginia. And freedom is a beautiful thing.