3. Being in a forest alone
A mother’s hug is one of the most comforting things anyone could receive in this life. A warm place whatever the time of day or year. A mother whose arms provide a gentle hug upon each consistent visit no matter what sins have recently been performed. As you approach a forest on a regular basis and take the same twists and turns, it is as if you are approaching a family home with Mum’s classic cottage pie smelling from the front door. A nostalgic feeling rises within the gut when visiting a forest after a brief moment of pause. It is an incredibly comforting feeling that the forest provides us giving us signs that show us how important it is for us to be there, welcoming us back home upon each visit even when we are alone. Like a mother saying hello to her child and embracing them. The gentle breeze caressing your cheeks, a swift sway of the canopy, a small squeak coming from a nearby blackbird. These are all mother’s signs to show us she is there providing for us, keeping watch over us, protecting us. That there is no reason to be scared when visiting a forest alone.
When living in Montgeron, Paris, I always visited La Foret de Senart by myself on a regular basis. The forest is incredibly linear with lots of main paths occupied by weekend hikers, cyclists and sports groups of all kinds. It is also a forest that is regularly being worked with tractors and foresters harvesting timber and therefore it is incredibly occupied for a 3,000 hectares forest. I have never felt unsafe walking the paths in this forest and will always come across someone enjoying the forest just like me at some point in my journey. It is also a forest that is very difficult to get lost in and if I push myself beyond normal boundaries, I can very easily find my way back to a recognisable spot. If you regularly visit a forest, you become very accustomed to it as if it were your home and you build up a level of confidence being in that forest and home alone.
If someone told you to take a walk all by yourself through a gloomy dark forest where the sunshine struggles to penetrate through boughs of oak and birch and pairs of glistening yellow eyes track you along the cobbled path, you may choose another option. However little do these people know that a mix of veteran and young oak trees naturally block the sun getting to the soil as they compete for energy keeping the forest rather cool in the summer time. Bushy red foxes live in the forest shying away from predators such as ‘man’ keeping a pair of watchful yellow eyes on the intruder at all times. Trees and foxes are not scary. They are just surviving and thriving in a place called home. Their home. Imagine being at home with your Mum simply relaxing in the kitchen and laughing at basic everyday occurrences and drinking a glass of wine or two. Suddenly out of nowhere, an intruder walks in, marches through the corridor and arrogantly starts peering at all your personal belongings. This is what we do when we enter the home of other living beings. Being alone in a forest carries a massive amount of responsibility. A respectful duty to pay consideration to our neighbours and lodgers of our home. Our mother’s home.
Disclaimer = Before going out into any forest alone, please always ensure you tell someone where you are going and someone can call you in the case of an emergency.