Trapped?

I wasn’t kidding when I said I was trapped...

…Trapped in labyrinths of lushness under a sleepy blue sky...

...lost in a magical sun-dappled forest...

Through winding sunlit fairy paths...

Enchanted under the spell of the woods... in peaceful reverie through the worshiping trees..

With its sounds and scents and its sheath of sunshine and deep blues...

Drinking in the beauty of the surroundings... trees, grass and sky, as if Nature is singing to me what others cannot hear...

Secret paths bathed in heavenly sunbeams... feet 'a dancing; heart aglow.

Morning dew, leaves of golden... and the forest seems immensely large. It’s as if I’m walking in another world in another dimension.

Oh and look! Do you see what I see? A cottage! Over there... winding throughout the sunlit path! Can you see it now? I must go see...

I saw a flipping light and followed it through the bushes... is this your cottage? I’ve already been to your house in the wood time ago... don't you remember?

The sunlight slanting through the trees kindles the undergrowth of the forest to a glowing green and wildflowers abound throughout the trail with the fragrance of fresh pure heavenly perfume in the air... There is life and music in every corner. To me the forest is as food to one who wakes hungry after a long dark dream.

Rivers that run through the forests are like magical roads—roads that move and carry our spirits to places untold and dreamy lands...

Long long ago, my ancestors believed that rivers were the truest secret keepers of mankind. Rivers carry our most inner secrets within themselves. Untold secrets... secrets that must remain buried under many waters... rivers would carry their secrets to faraway places, and protect them from them.

So they would rush to the rivers and throw their most intimate secrets at the dark mysterious waters, like offerings of magical jewels...

Every time I walk along a river's bank I am reminded of my ancestors and imagine them bringing their offerings to the rivers as they walked in their leafy tabernacle, shrouded in silence...

Morning dew on the leaves, memories that don't belong to me; yet they're still there... "Come away, oh human child... to the waters and the wild with a fairy hand in hand"--I can almost hear Loreena McKennitt singing "Stolen Child".

In some sunlit trails and meadows within this enchanted forest, many plants are grown in profusion. I’m sure fairies love tending them and I can see sprites gathering nectar from them by moonlight and pixies hiding within their protective greenery... now, if you'd excuse me, I'm going to go see who lives in that cottage...

I hope is not a witch or some other strange creature...

But don't worry, I have a feeling I've been there before, and know what to expect. I can already foresee it: the soft inviting light, the mood of magic and peaceful sensation to the room. And wafting from the small and cozy kitchen the smell of cinnamon and the comfort of caramelized sugar. And then there is that smell—the smell of home and hope, the kind of smell that cures fear.

Off I go... would you like to come along? Let's go then. Down the happy path we go. You can almost feel the spells and magic fluttering in the wind, while gentle whispers of sprites and fairies secrets dance around your ears! Oh oh, but can I tell you another sort of secret? This place is real... very real and if you want you can visit it too!

This is truly an extra-ordinarily beautiful place... gorgeous, peaceful, quiet, and somber. It is called “The Grotto”—a beautiful 62 acre Catholic Shrine and botanical gardens, located in Portland, OR. Even if you aren't religious the beauty of nature and the surroundings will still make you feel centered and calm here. Certainly a must see! And that’s what I’ve been doing!

Hope you have enjoyed our little trip!