Natural Setting #2

1 November, 2015

The Noland Trail

The Noland Trail is no stranger for those around here but until recently, it was for me. The first time I was on the trail, I was around 6 or 7 years old and my family thought walking it together would be a healthy and fun bonding experience. Well, keep in mind I was only 6 or 7. I complained the whole time and asked my parents every few minutes for us to take a break. I was not a kid who enjoyed nature. I was afraid of any creature with six legs and wings. The thing I still fear the most: bees. My fear of bees is so bad, sometimes I refuse to go outside during the summer. I never went to the trail again until the spring of this year. My best friend asked me if I wanted to walk the trail since it was something she did very often. I wanted to say no but I was angry with my parents at this time. We were in a big disagreement for the fall. I was waitlisted at CNU but my backup plan was to go to Thomas Nelson, our community college, in case I got rejected. My parents did not like that idea so they decided that I would be attending Randolph Macon College. I only applied there because it was there was no application fee. I had all this anxiety in me about what the fall of 2015 would look like. Would I remain in Newport News or wake up in Ashland? I told my friend that I would be more than happy to walk the trail with her. As we walked the whole trail, we talked about the fall. It was such a scary time and anxiety consumed me everyday of senior year. With each step, my anxiety was slipping away. I could breathe normally, the back aches went away and I even got my appetite back. The weather was not cold but also not hot with a gentle breeze to cool us off. God's hands rested on my shoulders as He guided us along the trail. It had been years since I felt that feeling of peace. It felt like everything was going to be fine. I avoided anxiety all of spring break and by the time it was over, I got the call that I had been accepted at Christopher Newport University. Now that I am at my dream school, I still get stressed out and when I do, I go out on the Noland Trail to experience everything nature has to offer. It is almost like a little escape from responsibilities.