Confessions of a Shopaholic

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         One of my favorite movies as a kid was "Confessions of a Shopaholic," which may explain my love of shopping. I am a firm believer in retail therapy. I have fond childhood memories of going shopping with my mom, and this is still something we love to do. I am not necessarily obsessed with collecting things for myself. I love stepping inside boutiques, exploring stores, seeing the latest trends, and finding nice gifts for others. I enjoy shopping with friends, as I believe it is a fun thing to do together. That is why I am surprised that when I visited Bainbridge Island, an island known for great shopping in the cutest stores, I was not interested in going from store to store. I wanted to explore nature.

          Bainbridge Island is a small island accessible by ferry from Seattle. The island is surrounded by the Puget Sound, and it is filled with glorious nature. Before this class, I likely would have spent the entire time I was on the island exploring the stores. However, Treks & Texts has taught me that outside lies magic, and I need to explore it. I told my friends my desires, and we walked through the trees.

            I was in an autumn paradise, and I could not help myself from picking up the leaves that had fallen. I crinkled them between my fingers and tossed them in the air, letting them fall and pile up around me. I looked up at the tops of the trees, admiring the impressive height. As I sat within the leaves, I began to see the world from a different perspective, experiencing life like the leaves do from an inverted angle. This was a truly magical moment, and I felt the need to celebrate the nature around me as Eiseley would.

I’m grateful this class has taught me to appreciate the outdoors a little more. I still enjoy shopping, but nothing compares to the gifts nature has to offer. Now, I would trade a shopping trip for a trip through the outdoors any day!


Until my next adventure,

 

Sav

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