Freedom on Impulse

I was the first to wake in the morning. My feet hurt from the hike we'd taken the day before, but it was all worth it to be here now. The lake calmly rippled the reflections of the world. It seemed to whisper to me. Everything is ok. None of that really matters anyway.

How nice it is to listen to this. The sounds of absolutely nothing but nature. I listen to the breeze. A distant call of a bird lifts my heart within myself and I sigh. I stood on the shore of the lake, letting all my thoughts wash away with the water. All the worries from back home. The work I didn't want to do that still lay on the desk I didn't want to return to.

I let those things rest. Because for now I wasn't there. I wasn't back home. So I wasn't going to worry. For once I wasn't going to worry at all. Today is a fresh day of wandering, exploring the world, listening to nothing, and preparing nothing but perhaps roasted fish over the fire.

I didn't have to wear make up. I didn't even have to brush my hair if I didn't want to. But I did anyway because it was for me. That's what this day is about. Me. I closed my eyes and took a breath, letting the fresh cool air fill my lungs. The scent came with it... of pine and spruce and whatever else that was. I was invigorated.

I looked behind myself. No one else had stirred. The camp was still silent.

Then, as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I was already running. The air whipping at my face and my hair stringing behind me felt so exhilarating. I hit the water with a splash and dove into it. It's cold embrace was a shock at first but then I rested into it, soaking my clothes and laughing.

Because today, I could.