“The woods are lovely, dark and deep
— Robert Frost, “Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening’
but I have promises to keep
and miles to go before I sleep
and miles to go before I sleep”
I’ve always loved the woods. As a young girl I spent many hours and moments with my brother and sister roaming the woodsy trails at state parks, the neighborhood across from ours and at the golf course hidden behind our neighborhood via the huge stately houses that resided on the borders.
I find comfort in being surrounded by trees and feeling alone by choice rather than lonely. In my dreams I have been in the woods as well and in my dreams my sister and brother and I still play together and laugh.
With pride I have carried on the love for the woods in my daughter and son as well. Although we don’t have enough trees for our yard to even come close to being called “the woods”, there are some old trees in the back and the kids spend many an hour out there on the weekends. I love to smell the fresh air in their hair when they come inside. I love how the woods beckons us. I look forward to more family hikes through them. Just thinking of it makes me smile.