{rejuvenation}

Sometimes.
I feel like I am going 100 mph.
I feel like the world is spinning.
I feel lost.
I wonder who I really am.
I wonder what I am doing on this earth.
I feel a loss for words.

I feel.
Sad.
Down.
Angry.
Anxious.
Curious.
Nostalgic.

Its times like this that I just want to escape. That I need to breakaway from the world for a little bit. To be alone. To hear nothing but my own thoughts. To contemplate what's going on in my life, what I am doing, where I am going.

In times like this I am extremely grateful for the gorgeous backyard that is mine. The Hobblecreek Canyon.




One of my favorite things to do is drive. Drive without having to be somewhere. Drive without an agenda. To explore. To wander. To get lost. To breathe in the smells of nature. To listen to the gentle water rushing past me. To close my eyes and feel as if the sunshine was rejuvenating my entire being. That the sun is flooding my entire body with warmth that will last until the next time I need to getaway.

There is something wonderful about the great outdoors. There is a spirit, if you will, about nature.

Purity.
Warmth.
Love.

I drove to my favorite spot up the canyon, rolled down the windows, closed my eyes, and listened.

The gentle wind rustling the leaves on the trees.
The smell of the mountains in my nostrils.
The buzzing of some bumblebees in the trees nearby.
The rushing river going by.

I just soaked it all in. I don't know how long I sat there, but I didn't care. This was Ashley time, and by golly, I was going to enjoy it. I pulled out my Book of Mormon (www.lds.org) and began to read from the book of Nephi. I was filled with peace. My cares and worries subsided. I felt peace. Joy. And an outpouring of love. There is something gloriously wonderful about the mountains. It's a little piece of heaven, in my book. I've heard it said that God often speaks to those who will listen for His voice. Sometimes you can hear it louder than others, but there's something about the mountains. God's voice is in abundance in nature.