The Romantics

I have felt the romantic, transcendent pull of the countryside in the sense that the Romantic poets, painters, and writers did. Not so much here in the UK. At home in the canyons, the mountains, or the high desert, I’ve felt pulled out of myself, or calmed, or hushed in some way that is not like any other experience. It is like drinking fresh cool water when you are thirsty and didn’t realize it. It happens with physical exertion but usually not until the exertion is over. Sometimes running after John on these trips is simply too much physical exertion for me. To really appreciate the natural world, we also need time for reflection and observation, not just running frantically from one spot to another the whole time. (2003)