Walking the Noland trail earlier this week, I was struck by the beauty and wonderment of my surrounding environment. I had just finished working on my paper for this class on nature as a sacred place in Into the Wild, and was inspired to take my own miniature journey. Even though the trail is less than a mile away, I have not taken full advantage of all it can and does offer. A place of refuge and serenity, the Noland Trail I believe, contains what the main character was searching for in Into the Wild.
Interestingly enough, the Noland trail is literally separated from the mundane, materialistic world around it. With shops, school buildings, and construction constantly around us, the Noland trail serves as a break from it all. Eliade writes that nature is always filled with the sacred and that something divine always transcends it. Untainted by the profane, the Noland Trail continues to be a place of relaxation and reflection for the Newport News community. Even though it is right in the middle of so many profane things, travellers still respect the sacredness of the trail. It seems, in a way, there is an unspoken agreement among the Newport News community to always honor the Noland Trail and the sacredness that fills it. Despite a little trash here and there, the trail has remained pure.
I think it’s important to spend time in nature and to really appreciate all it has to offer. Fortunately for CNU students, there is a place nearby where we can go to just get away from it all.
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