My Safe Haven










There’s a light breeze flowing off the horizon. In the distance you hear nature talking. Birds quietly chirp at each other. I assume they are talking about the day’s plans. The grass is still wet from the overnight dew. As I gaze off looking at the willow trees, a bee buzzes around my neck. I come here to think after a sleepless night; it calms my nerves. As I sit on a rock covered in moss, I look at my surroundings. To my left are bushes of all sizes with butterflies resting. There are rocks engraved with fossils and three leaf clovers scattered across the ground. Behind me are boulders, rocks, pebbles, and small pieces of dirt, all which are covered in a rich layer of moss. To my right is a small garden with erratic, yet beautiful plants along with grape vines. Each vine holds a set of fresh, ripe, green grapes. I smile to myself when I see an elderly couple walk by holding hands. They stop to look at the birds in a tree. I lose my train of thought and just stare at them. They look so in love. They spot me looking and smile. I smile back. It’s the first real smile I’ve had in a long time. A couple minutes later the elderly couple walks away. I watch them leave until they’re just a black dot in the distance.

The sound of a screeching creature brings me back to reality. I sigh. The sun is now starting to peek out from the gray clouds. I grab my backpack and lay on the grass. My torn out t-shirt three sizes too big and my faded denim jeans start to feel damp from the dew, but I don’t care. I use my bag as a pillow and close my eyes. I use the sounds of nature to draw in the memory I’ve been holding back for so long. The sun beats down on my sickly pale skin as I think of that awful night where my world was turned upside down. The sound of footsteps awakes me. I tilt my head and look over the tall arborvitae bushes. That’s when I see them. My lungs forget how to process air in, I start gasping for oxygen. I quickly jump up and grab my belongings and run towards the wild. I jump the small white fence just in time before they see me. They walk up to the garden look around, sigh, and then leave. I exhale with relief. I start walking back into the woods. I turn around and look at where I just was sitting letting my problems disappear. I’ll have to come back to my “Safe Haven” tomorrow, at another time, maybe another life.