The Enchanted Forest

Closed. A firm lock has been put on the door to the toilets. During the drive my morning tea took its chance and flowed all the way to the bottom of my belly. And now it wants out. To my relief, the restaurant next to the visitor center is open and I pop in for a quick visit.

Normally I don't like water reservoirs, but today I spontaneously pulled over when I passed one and decided to walk around it. Armed with directions given by the friendly restaurant manager, I set off to the bridge that goes over the river. For a moment, I admire the water that gathers speed here and drops down a few meters. The one who decided on the location for the bridge, definitely had no clue about photography because the bridge is built in a way that you look down the waterfall instead of up. Regretting that my story will have to do without a picture of this nice waterfall, I cross the bridge.

The path goes to the right, meandering along the riverbank. Straight up from the bridge, a track goes up a steep hill. Muddy, slippery and attractive … where would it lead? Since the reservoir is in the same direction, I decide to climb up the steep track. The mud is alternated with tree roots – that are even more slippery. Grateful once more for my sturdy boots, I make it to the top.

Surprised I look around and find myself on a circle-shape hill top full of enchanted Christmas trees. The half barren spines are covered in wet and fresh-looking moss. Waterdrops are slowly dripping from the branches. The ground is covered in a thick layer of light-green coloured moss that silences my footsteps and muffles the sounds of the forest.

In between two giants of trees I sit down on the moss and watch. A silence wells up in me. It is the deep silence of inner peace.
A silence that makes you see. The magical Fairy Fungi in the Christmas Tree.
A silence that makes you hear. Not only the bird song and the rustling of the leaves. It makes me hear the sound that a waterdrop makes when it falls on the moss, the sound that a tiny bird makes when it flies up from a low-hanging branch and the best of all: it makes me 'hear' the stories of the enchanted forest.

They tell me of the Slow Living Lifestyle. Drop by drop. Leaf by leaf.
They tell me of the Tiny Details. How every single thing matters, no matter its size.
And finally, they tell me of the Beingness. Be here, be now and keep being. Don't go somewhere, be somewhere, be where you are while you go. Balance is found in being, not in going.

This light place has refreshed my energy and I feel light and joyful as I continue my way.