Part of the reason why I was so excited to leave my hectic Los Angeles lifestyle was so I could enjoy the peaceful rural atmosphere and, temporarily, distance myself from the city. I decided to connect with Mother Nature and spend a casual day out in the wild and explore the forest and hope not to get lost. Our house is located in the middle of nowhere; green fields and forests all around; cows and horses; and a small neighborhood where everyone knows everyone and my mother is the only Asian woman around for miles. I was pretty certain that I wasn’t going to be meeting any new people in the forest, unless some Yeti came to attack me, so I simply pulled on a pair of comfortable, blue, Levi jeans and a casual black and white, stripped short-sleeve shirt that I bought from Velvet last summer. I had my mom’s Timberland boots on and I wore my hair back in a ponytail and, on my mom’s request, I took a light blue zip-up hoodie that had a picture of a white tiger on the back. I was ready for my outing!

Spending a year and a half living smack dab in the middle of Los Angeles made me quickly forget all the beautiful things that Mother Nature has to offer. Although I know that I can always spend a quiet afternoon climbing up the hills of Griffith Park, I’ve gotten so accustomed to the city lifestyle that I never took a moment to slow down. Walking on the trail of the surrounding forest was more peaceful than any other activity that I have done within this past year in LA. I heard birds chirping in their nests, the sound of the wind blowing through the trees and various insects communicating with each other. I listened to every step I took and paid attention to the sounds of snapping branches under my feet. It was as if I was having a conversation with Mother Nature. I would respond to her thoughts through another sound of nature, whether it was a rustling of leaves or a pebble hitting against a bigger stone. My Timberland boots were perfect for my little adventure and, thanks to my Levi jeans, I didn’t get attacked by any poison ivy. It was so peaceful.

Little did I know that I would immediately be attacked by hay fever, causing my eyes to swell up and giving me uncontrollable sneezing fits. On top of that, my contacts were starting to irritate my eyes and I could barely tell which direction I came from. I started to panic, slightly, and felt like I was going around in circles. However, thanks to my mom’s boots and hoodie, I was able to trace my footsteps back to the beginning of the trail while keeping warm. I don’t think I have ever been this excited to walk through my own door. The sight of my puffy eyes and runny nose made my parents call me unadventurous. I was just happy to have eye drops in my watery eyes! I guess a city girl trying to connect with nature isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do in one day, but at least I didn’t come face-to-face with a Yeti during my outing. But, even if I did, my mom’s Timberland boots would have saved my life!

Love always,
Mia