Boundary Waters Canoe Area
The paddle of my canoe glides gently through the water, slicing cleanly, as if through pure glass. The wind has vanished now, as the sun is setting. The silhouettes of mighty pines of all shapes and sizes rise out of the water in all directions, the sun shining red, orange, and gold behind them. Mysterious reflections of clouds drift by in the water like some sort of creatures, misshapen by the rippling waves.
No sound can be heard except the steady drip off my canoe paddle as I lift it out of the water with each stroke. Even the birds seem to hold their breath, as if waiting for a show to begin. My companions don’t speak, caught in the same trance as I am. In this place, the harmony of nature can be felt with every breath of wind, every splash of a fish, and every cry of a bird.
The water here is said to be the purest on Earth and it certainly looks the part. The waves that lap my canoe are crystal clear. Nothing can taint it, not the engines of boats, nor the pollution of trash. This is a true, clean wilderness. It’s as if there is some sort of magic protecting this sacred land of pure water, towering trees, and crisp air.
As I look around, I realize that humans do not own this land. There is a silence here that is deafening, lacking the usual roar of human voices. Is this what life was like centuries ago? Untainted and pure? Compared to this endless sea of green and blue, I am nothing. As humans, we believe ourselves to be above nature, but we are no more commanders of the Earth than the dust below our feet. I accept this reality as I gaze into the tranquil forest, knowing that I will fight to preserve this small slice of heaven that I have discovered on Earth.
No sound can be heard except the steady drip off my canoe paddle as I lift it out of the water with each stroke. Even the birds seem to hold their breath, as if waiting for a show to begin. My companions don’t speak, caught in the same trance as I am. In this place, the harmony of nature can be felt with every breath of wind, every splash of a fish, and every cry of a bird.
The water here is said to be the purest on Earth and it certainly looks the part. The waves that lap my canoe are crystal clear. Nothing can taint it, not the engines of boats, nor the pollution of trash. This is a true, clean wilderness. It’s as if there is some sort of magic protecting this sacred land of pure water, towering trees, and crisp air.
As I look around, I realize that humans do not own this land. There is a silence here that is deafening, lacking the usual roar of human voices. Is this what life was like centuries ago? Untainted and pure? Compared to this endless sea of green and blue, I am nothing. As humans, we believe ourselves to be above nature, but we are no more commanders of the Earth than the dust below our feet. I accept this reality as I gaze into the tranquil forest, knowing that I will fight to preserve this small slice of heaven that I have discovered on Earth.