SIX MILE CYPRESS SLOUGH PRESERVE
The moment I enter, all cares disappear, venturing into nature’s holy cathedral. I walk under the mighty cypresses, reigning as sentinels in the most majestic wetland in Florida, Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. The tree’s energy infuses me, and I take on its power and come alive. What new wonders will I discover on my journey away from brick and mortar?
Reverence hovers as nature lovers quietly move around the wooden walkways. Stunning. Does that adequately describe the wildlife preserve?
I pause every few steps to notice the vast population of plants, such as bromeliads and orchids. The floral scent clears out the smog trapped in my nose. A small rabbit rests beside a saw palmetto while a raccoon hangs in an American elm.
Water clings to my arm hairs as the humid air carries hempvine’s sweet aroma to me. I close my eyes, and life’s stress dissipates—a boar grunts, sounding like an alligator. I open my eyes and watch the portly animal tenaciously uproot a plant. Two little piglets leave their mama’s side to venture through the swamp as their little brown and pink bodies scavenge along the ground.
The slough is nature’s rest stop. I, too, use the preserve as my hiatus. Here, my worries and problems don’t exist. The wetlands wash away my troubles as I feel closer to nature and God in the protective enclosure of the canopy. As I venture through the sacred corridor, I instantly find a shallow pond with a gathering of egrets, their long necks carrying them with the lordship of a swan.
I linger at Pop Ash Pond, watching a procession of turtles on a log, capturing the sun’s rays to warm their bodies. I rest at Gator Lake and scan the area. A dark knob protrudes from the water, and I jiggle my hands, hoping an alligator will appear. Disappointment! It’s only a log. I keep browsing until I find the prize—an alligator with the bonus of two babies. I lean over the railing and allow time to pass as I try not to intrude on the unique relationship of these reptiles. The mama hardly moves, appearing like a waxed figure, yet her babies climb over her and then roll off into the water. As I take in the beauty of the lake, a wood stork stops to fish. The long-legged water bird is almost the size of a great blue heron. It would be a treat if I saw a heron today.
I go through the preserve when my phone vibrates against my leg. My work cruelly intrudes upon my serenity. My lunch break came and went. Somehow, I lost two hours in my paradise. Sadly, I go to the parking lot, leaving a bit of my soul behind. For me, Six Mile Cypress Slough is the most enchanting place on earth. How much time will pass before I can return and commune in nature’s haven once again?
____________________________________________________________________
Can This Be the Most Peaceful Place on Earth
by Stephanie Daich
