A sacred oasis in the middle of the mountains. In the middle of nowhere. A place so pure it could be called holy. A place to let wounds heal, to put aside your fears and experience new things. A home away from home. Forest Home.
Perhaps everybody needs a place to escape. Maybe if everyone had the chance to, the world would be a better place.
I was fascinated from the minute I knew I was going to camp. Two weeks later, I found myself climbing into that white and green charter bus. Considering the driver got lost and the air conditioning wasn’t working, the ride was long and hot. A feeling of regret crept into me, this was not a good start.
After what seemed an eternity, we arrived. It was beautiful.From the fresh green grass to the sparkling lake, the sights were striking. The purple, pink, and orange colored blend of the horizon at dusk was astounding.
Night fell and for the first time I saw stars so near and clear I felt I could reach up and touch them. Without any telephone lines or street lamps in the way, it felt as if the scenery came out of a calendar. The scent of pine in the air and the sound of crickets made everything so natural. Nature at its fullest.
On one of the six days that I was there, we went down to what they call a “zip line”. A long spiral staircase led to a platform high up in the air. There they would put you into a harness and instruct you to jump off and ride to the other end. My turn came, and the feeling I got climbing those stairs was electrifying. Once up there I couldn’t bring myself to leap off, it seemed much higher than it looked. After a period of hesitation I told myself I had to jump.
I felt like I was flying. A blur of rocks and trees passed beneath me, and it felt as if I was moving with the clouds. For a moment, all I could hear was the whistle of the wind and the rushing water of the river. To my side a girl crossed her legs and flipped upside down, something I couldn’t bring myself to do. It was great while it lasted and the thrill it brought was incredible.
During our stay, counselors warned us not to drink water from the river or streams afraid that it might make us sick. How could anything in a place so pure like this one be harmful? I drank it, it was the freshest water ever.
Everyday we gathered to praise the Lord and thank him for everything he gives us. People sang and danced along to spiritual music that was sung by a little band, the type of music that could inspire you to be a better person. At first, I felt awkward. I thought they looked silly. Never before had I seen people dance to music talking about God. By the end of the week I was jumping and dancing along with them.
I got onto that green and white bus not knowing anyone. By the end of the week, the girls from my cabin and I had become like sisters. I felt as comfortable with them as I did with the friends I’ve had for years. The bond created between us was amazing. Knowing I had made such good friends bestowed an enormous feeling of accomplishment.
Attending Forest Home was one of the best things I ever did. It made me appreciate nature, everything that surrounds me, and most of all, the people I love. I made life-long friends with the same values as mines. I learned to take risks no matter how frightening they might seem. That despite all the junk in the air there are still stars you can reach for. That jumping out into the open and not having your feet on the ground is sometimes a good thing.
It’s summer once more, and the second week of August I’ll find myself going back to Forest Home. This year, I will flip upside down on the zip line, drink out of the river, and witness that colorful horizon and those beautiful stars once more.
-Yaritza Hernandez
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