Are you a romantic? Do you believe in the importance of nature and its effect on your creativity? There is a word to describe the connection between art and nature. It’s called romanticism! I don’t intend to bore you with facts about romantic writers. But if your imagination is sparked by nature, many writers throughout history felt the same as you. Wordsworth, Keats, and Emerson to name a few. There is a real connection between walking in nature and writing. Many writers have trekked miles in the quest for inspiration. For me, walking clears my head of mental stress and gives room for my imagination.
I want to emphasize the importance of being outdoors. Walking on a treadmill does not relax my mind. I keep looking at the clock and wondering when will this session be finished? How can anyone be inspired by a clock, a wall, or a TV? I’d much rather look at the sky, a tree, or a lake. Near my house there are walking paths around neighboring lakes. One path in particular is a terrific habitat for birds and bunnies. Would that be a rabbit trail?
Many of my vacations have included hiking in national parks, most of which are located in the western United States. One of my favorite trails is called The Watchman in Zion National Park, Utah. This trail is considered moderately strenuous. Of course when you’re in the mountains, moderate means there will be an increase in elevation! But the Watchman takes you up 378 feet slowly. I like that! Since the trail is located at the mouth of Zion Canyon, the increased sunlight nurtures a host of beautiful wildflowers.
The trail also affords spectacular views of neighboring rocky peaks. The Watchman, pictured above, seems to be always visible around every bend. The trail ends at a great viewpoint of the road into the park. You can look down and see everyone coming and going from the canyon. Was this a lookout station where sentinels lit signal fires to warn canyon inhabitants of possible invaders?
When I look at this photo I think about the native people who entered the canyon on foot. They might have been tracking an animal when they stumbled into one of the most beautiful places in America. In the early 1860’s Mormon pioneers named the canyon Zion after the hills of Jerusalem. They thought of it as a sanctuary in the desert.
Geologic wonders are awe-inspiring. But the reality is I am a flat-lander, who spends most of my time in the semi-tropics of Florida. Mountains are few and far between in these parts. Still I take my walks and sometimes find inspiration on the rabbit trails.
debbieburton.blog 