Part 3
SURPRISES
The most rewarding experiences I’ve had in nature weren’t necessarily summiting a peak or completing a hike.
Instead, they’re the small, often overlooked moments that have a lasting impact on me. Nature has taught me a priceless lesson: Life is a compilation of these small, “in-between” moments that collectively tell our story and can only be accessed by deliberate slowness. Learning this has led me to appreciate my life more, making each day feel fuller and each minute more textured.
I remember one particular winter night so well. The last flickering embers of my fireplace cast a warm glow on the walls.
Going fast, I would have missed out on so many good moments — A spontaneous encounter with a fox stumbling out of the forest when I was sitting down for a break on a log. The time a stroll in the woods unexpectedly turned into a gourmet outdoor meal with friends just because I paused and squatted down, only to find a massive mushroom colony right beneath my feet. Stopping long enough to see how the setting winter sun illuminated a frozen droplet from a spruce needle, transforming it into a shimmering gem.
There’s so much out there. We need to be ready for it.
But it’s not just the speed, but also our outlook. Nature wants to surprise us, and it’s not that the wonder isn’t there but that we’re not ready to see it or that we are unwilling to follow that little tug of curiosity when it comes. I warmly remember the embrace of a sunset after a spontaneous hike up a ski hill or the serenity of washing my hands in a still forest stream that I found by simply taking a path I usually didn’t. There’s so much out there. We need to be ready for it.
Embracing the thought that adventures can happen right outside your front door brought a new sense of calm and excitement into my life. Every day could present me with something new, and I no longer had to make a “big deal” about somehow living up to other people’s standards of what an adventure should be. Honestly, it’s often a lot more fun this way as well. Out in my local woods, I’m not burdened by a heavy backpack or fretting over my trail choice. Walking these familiar paths liberates my mind to wander, too, and with my camera guiding me, it’s now become second nature to notice the minutiae: the intricate pattern of a fern’s leaf, a tiny bug navigating its world, or how droplets on a leaf sparkle when hit by sunlight just so.
Being on larger expeditions often puts us on a timer, driving us to meet specific goals before dusk. In that rush, the fullness of nature sometimes becomes a mere afterthought. My smaller, local adventures allow me the freedom to explore and truly see. I can pause, zoom in on details, change routes on a whim, or double back to a path that caught my eye. That’s the beauty of it—I can engage fully with the world around me, all while capturing these meaningful fragments through my lens.
Even the smallest trail could lead to an incredible adventure. All you need to do is take the first step.