Nature's Splendour

Sitting on the sunny, open waiting deck of the Snack Bar at Gull Lake Park in Gravenhurst, Muskoka! Two Butterscotch Ripple ice-cream cones are on their way. Right behind, is a sloped terrain going down into the water.

What I can see with my eyes, no camera can really record. It is the soothing sensation that is the catch of the day – the breeze caressing my skin and blowing wisps of my hair onto my face, a feeling of divine joy as I behold the pine trees so tall that the neck strains looking at the treetops.

I remember my favourite computer wallpaper that has an image of old, majestic trees with orange and red leaves, heavily lining a walking trail that is covered with fallen leaves. The picture seemed to gesture to the viewers to step on the path, crunching the leaves underneath and enjoying the shade and protection offered by the big trees on either side. Although autumn is not yet here – it is still August – and so I cannot see the colours of the image in this live vision in front of me, yet I am reminded of the splendour of nature once again.

The sky peeking out of the spaces between the tree trunks leaves no room for suspense. It is as if the natural surroundings are encouraging mortals to carry on, inspiring them with visions that make everything seem possible. The lake has an area marked for swimming, which I intend to explore one day. My fresh beginnings in the water are no longer disappointing, but are still far from being good. However, I am persisting and hope one day to be called somewhat of a swimmer.

A few minutes ago, I tried feeling the sand-and-gravel-bottomed water on the lakeshore with my feet. The coolness and texture was quite refreshing. When I was down there, I looked up to see my family waving at me, looking royal sitting at a height. A few kids are around with their families. A few elderly are sitting on the benches overlooking the waterfront at an inclined plane. The lake stretches horizontally and tapers into broad rivulets going behind thick bushes on either side. Width-wise, the lake is not too large. At the back, we do not see endless water. The border at the back is breathtaking with rocks and trees. These natural place-marks give a feel of an artificially created movie set – perfectly coloured, perfectly textured, perfectly organized and outlined – green, brown, grey, orange, beige; rocky, floral, lush, coarse and barren all at the same time; the animate and the inanimate providing a striking contrast and a wondrous effect.