Taking A Break From The City

I wish that I could get rid of this anxiety. It's plagued me for years, and despite so many efforts in vain to "get better," it hasn't left me. Many theories have crossed my mind, and I've tried countless different things: meditation, lifestyle changes, getting rid of negativity, traveling...

Last week, I had the opportunity to travel up north to my mother's cottage. Secluded, away from most of society, quiet... It helped me come to the conclusion that the city--my hometown--has been the source of my anxieties. I do not feel I want to partake in city life anymore. It's a terrible idea, to have hundreds of thousands of people living in such a clustered environment. I try to build myself up every day before I leave the house, but it's inevitable. Too many people in one area, and more than a few are bound to piss you off... Truth be told, it isn't so bad once I get out of the city, but that involves getting on a bus, which is even more anxiety-inducing.

Over the weekend, I made the effort to get out of the house and back into nature. As soon as we left the city and onto a trail, I immediately felt relief. It reminded me of what's important in life. I need to be strong--I need to be there--not only for my daughter, but for my boyfriend as well. I need to start doing better!

And it wasn't all bad: we were able to capture some amazing wildlife photos! 😃 The trail we went on experiences heavy traffic, and so many people feed the animals that they will eat straight out of your hand! Here are just a few of the critters we encountered 🙂

As you can see, there were many chipmunks on the trail. Because it wasn't a busy day at the time, they hadn't been fed much, and enthusiastically gathered at our feet! 😱 Typically wild chipmunk are not so carefree! It was so cute to have them eating out of my hand though; their little nibbles~ 🤭

We were fortunate enough to witness a family of swans as well! We will usually see a pair of swans together, but thankfully we arrived during a time when they have just finished their mating season. We weren't able to get closer, but can you see the baby sunbathing between the two parents? 🙂

A red-winged black bird even approached us. These birds are usually solitary, and will go so far as to attack anyone that comes near their nests! However, when this one realized we had seeds, he was more than happy to tag along with us 😄

Finally, we had some woodpeckers feed from our hands: a female and a male! Notice that the male is identified by the little red spot atop his head 😊