A Mid Summer Night's Peace

     There is a special kind of peace that comes only when camping; a pure peace that can be likened to nothing else.  I have always loved sitting in a camp chair and staring into the yellow-orange tongs of the camp fire.  They mesmerize me with every jovial wave and light-hearted dance performed.  I love watching the flames send off tiny golden sparks into the smoky-hazed evening, and listening to the cricketty-crackle-cricketle of the burning wood.  Directing my attention from the fire to the rest of the enchanting world, I see a sky darkening rapidly with the sunset, soon to be dazzling with freshly sparkling diamonds.  The navy-blue canvas is framed with green trees of pine, fur, spruce, and cottonwood.  Oh, how I wish I was better at recognizing the melodious tunes of the flying creatures that perch in their branches.  The road, not too far off, is equipped with a soft “hummmmm” and “shhhhhhhhrrrr” of cars.  Although, real backwoods camping would not have this, it has been a relaxing camping sound for me ever since I was a very small child.  For me, the picture really wouldn’t be the same with out it.  Conversation flows between people far off and people around the same camp fire as mine.  Among all the other constant rhythms of the woods the crickets join in; cherip-cher-cher-cherip.  How I love that sound.  Never for an instant are the woods quiet, but always being filled with sweet, calming, and delightful sounds.  The sun has taken its last rays and left the wood a dark and mysterious color.  I can just make out the black trees against the dark blue and gray sky.  I light the kerosene lamp.  Its rich, yellowy-warm glow flickers and settles, casting light upon my book.  I settle in, absorbing every word from my book, and every smell, sound, and feeling from my world.   My feet are warmed by the fire, and the rest of me cooled by the night air.  My nose is tickled by the campfire smoke, and I sigh. It’s the sigh of a happy and contented girl of fifteen.  I’m filled with a perfect and pure peace; the peace that only comes from camping. 

~ Brooke