• “In every man's heart there is a secret nerve that answers to the vibrations of beauty.” (Christopher Morley) This attraction is caused by the wonder and incredulity that man experiences at such an unnatural state. A place in which this phenomenon occurs is within the realm of nature, where scenic transformations and charming marvels take place, for what are men compared to wind and woodlands? As I ambled to the clearing located in my own backyard, I was immediately aghast and overwhelmed by the increasing amount of splendor that this lovely autumn afternoon held.
    I plopped down in the damp, cool grass, fully intoxicated by the loveliness that had caused me to become a victim of its glorious enchantment. The sun was perched high in the sky, hidden behind wisps of light gray clouds, creating a buttery haze upon the vibrant colored leaves on the dull tree trunks and those scattered across the soggy ground. A blustery breeze blew through the crisp air, causing endless spirals of yellow, orange, and red leaves to ruffle my hair. This breath of air smelled rich and rustic due to the dampness and the neighbor’s pile of burning leaves and rough tree limbs. A rabbit poked its head out from among the foliage, sniffing the air, then slowly creeped out of its hiding place, only to caper across the lawn and dive into a pile of leaves. A doe and its young fawn cautiously stepped out of the woods, looking directly at me, unsure whether I should be trusted. Geese called from the pale sky above, obnoxiously announcing their presence as they migrated south for the winter, causing the deer to bound away with fright.
    As the day swelled, the sun sank behind the tree line, a flaming orange fireball smoldering in the sky. The light danced off of the colorful leaves, creating a neon glow against the dark shadows of the trees, which instigated a sense of mystery and ambiguity. A fog surrounded my face as I exhaled, and cool grass tickled my feet as dry leaves crunched under my footsteps, causing a shiver to crawl through my spine. The smell of smoke still lingered in the air.
    Golden tones cooled to blue as night engulfed the landscape. Above, in the vast abyss of the unknown, incandescent diamonds twinkled, embedded in the surface of eternity. The moon hung low in the sky, as if it was reluctant to continue rising in the sky, not wishing to leave its beloved sun after the dim twilight. With the light of sun, all sources of warmth vanished. The gentle breeze turned into nipping gusts of wind, chilling to the bones and core of one’s inner being. However, overpowering all of this was something growing with each passing second: silence. Fallen into a peaceful, dream-like state, it sang a lullaby of serenity and hope for again an overwhelming beauty that was to be wrought upon the morning light. Alas, nature must take its course once more, and we must say goodnight until dawn’s first ray.