Spiders

Spiders. 

When I hear that word 9/10 times I will either jump out of the seat I’m sitting in, or run away and never come back. If there’s one thing I despise more than anything it’s spiders. When I was little I wouldn’t sleep in my room for days at a time if I found one in there – I would first make my mom or dad come kill it and then second choose to sleep on the couch to make certain none were left.

 A few days ago, I found one living in the corner of my bedroom near the double doors in my room. It was huge. Now most people may disagree with me that it was the biggest thing they have ever seen in their life, but to me it was larger than my liking. Ask anyone – I can’t kill a baby spider let alone one that is 10 sizes bigger.

 I think my fear of spiders is rooted from my time back home when I was little. My brother and I were playing outside one day near the trash cans. I lost the basketball to the back corner of the garage and so I went over to retrieve it. Little did I know there was a black widow hanging on its web right next to my basketball. I called for my dad and he told me to pick up a brick and slam it on top of him – so I did. The black widow burst into about 1,000 little baby black widows coming right at me. To this day, I will never kill another spider in my life. 

So, back to my apartment in Fort Worth with the giant spider. It had legs that were about as long my fingers are, a little tiny body that was multi-colored brown and black, and it hung upside down on its web. Clearly, I didn’t have an option this time to leave it and sleep somewhere else until it croaked; I had to take action immediately. 

So, instead of grabbing a shoe myself (because I’m a wimp) I called for my roommate to come kill it. She tackled the spider like a pro and even picked it up with a napkin after she killed it to throw it away in the trashcan. I think this is sign I won’t be able to live without a roommate. Ever.

 I don’t mind too much looking at spiders from a distance – or if they’re dead – but the second they start to move I scream bloody Mary. Overall, I think I spend so much time being scared of the little insects and rodents that Mother Nature brings along, and not enough time thinking about how much they help our environment. I hope I’ll be able to one day get over my fear of spiders and instead of killing them, trying to let them walk back to their homes outside.

Pinnacle Mountain

Pinnacle Mountain is the centerpiece of my hometown in Arkansas. My family grew up going here to either walk around the trails, go horseback riding, canoeing or kayaking, and hiking up the mountain. It was always the best place to relax. There’s over 15 miles of trails surrounding the 2,300-acre state park. My dad always thought that hiking pinnacle mountain was the best part though, so that’s what we did.

 Over Thanksgiving this year, we made it a priority to hike the mountain – it’s more a family tradition now. When I was little I liked to challenge myself with the “hard” side of the mountain as my dad would say. In reality, it’s called the East summit trail that has a base trail that loops around the base of the mountain and connects back up to the trailhead 2.5 miles later. 

It was considered “hard” because once we reached the halfway point, the trail would turn into all boulders and rocks that you would have to climb with both your hands and feet. 

As a child, I thought was a superhero making it to the top – many times having battle scars to prove it. 

The best part going back this Thanksgiving is seeing how it hasn’t changed at all. It still has the yellow marks on the trees to guide you to the top and still has the same entrance sign it did 30 years ago. My dad always likes to remind me too that he broke his ankle on that route when were little, so he jokes we have to help him up the mountain now that he’s getting older. 

At the top of pinnacle mountain is one incredible view. Of course, to some people it may be average, but to me I like looking down and seeing the Maumelle river flowing beneath me, the cars looking like I could crush them with my pinky finger, and the miles of green tress and green grass stretching across the entire city. It’s a humble reminder that Little Rock will probably never change. It’s not a big city – it has always been two lane roads and forests right in the center.

I look forward to my visits there because I get to see how nature has played a crucial role in my upbringing. Pinnacle mountain will forever be my dad and I’s favorite spot together – one I hope never does change.

Little Rock, Arkansas

I don’t often go back to my hometown in Little Rock, Arkansas, but when I do I always seem to find myself outside. I grew up in the outdoors – my parents would make my brother and I stay outside from the moment we woke up to the moment they called us back in for dinner. Being honest, I didn’t mind it too much. I got to climb trees in my backyard, make a swing on one of the branches with rope and a skateboard, make mud cakes, roll down the golf course slopes into the bunkers, get way too many fire ants’ bites from stepping in their homes, and learning how to cross a river with only the materials in your backpack. 

I liked how I felt when I was outside and I notice more and more each day as I grow further and further apart from my hometown just how much I miss it. This past week I went back home for Thanksgiving. It was a special feeling being able to see my old house that I grew up in for 18 years of my life and remembering the joy I got from certain spots around it. 

Being in college, I don’t have as much time to sit outside and admire the vines growing up the sides of buildings or the different shapes of leaves that fall from the trees every second. I did that so much as a child.

Thanksgiving is more of a time for reflection in my family. We like to go outside on walks no matter how cold it is, we like to ride bikes illegally on the golf course trails, we admire the multi-colored trees and we rarely ever leave the neighborhood in a car. I miss those days and I appreciate this nature class giving me the opportunity to see every week how much I’m missing out on. 

I used to only think about my love for the outdoors when I went home for Thanksgiving – but now I know how much I miss it every day. I make it a priority of mine to sit outside underneath a tree each day even if it’s only ten minutes. I like to self-reflect during that time and remind myself no matter how hard some days are, they can always be made better with a hug from a tree.