Oregon Wilderness

I have seen many beautiful places, but there is nothing like the feel, smell, and beauty of Oregon forests. Today I took a hike through the Wildwood Recreation Site, in the foothills of Mt. Hood. It is really a pretty mellow place for a hike, most of the trails are either boardwalks or paved, but I managed to find some quiet space at the end of one of the boardwalks where I could sit and really take in the landscape around me.

Psalm 104:13

"He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work"

I love nature for so many reasons but there are two reasons that always stick out to me. The first reason being that it is a place where my soul really feels at peace and can rest. When I am in the woods, by the river, or on the mountain I feel rejuvenated. The second reason, is with wilderness is a place where I can see most easily the work of God. I love just sitting and taking in all the life giving beauty God has put together.


Walking through the forest the realization came to me that I may not be back in these woods, or any forests of Oregon for quite some time. With this thought I made sure to take in the views around me that much more. When will I next see a hillside covered with my favorite ground cover of Wood Sorrel. When will I next see the Sandy River or any river so cold and clean? And when will I next see mountains so majestic? I may not know for certain.

Don't get me wrong I will miss Oregon, however I am very excited to learn an entirely new ecosystem. I am looking forward to learning about totally different plants and animals, and bettering my understanding of nature through this knowledge. So while I said bit of a good bye, the possibilities ahead of me brought me strength.