Cortney Chelmo

Hour. 1

One chilly winter afternoon, along the Appalachian Trail, I was surrounded by giant, forest green trees. My view consisted of tall mountains and small puddles of water. I could hear the sounds of birds and other woodland creatures through the distance of the trees. I quickly glance towards my feet; I saw something glimmering in the dirt and rocky trail. There was a small stone that was not like any other. There was something about this rock that set it apart from all others. I gently pick up the rock, and I noticed that the rock was smooth with little sharp edges.

The stone had a shiny aquamarine color that was just beautiful, and while staring at the stone, my thoughts started roaming. The stone made me think about the ocean. The most enjoyable times I had were when I was by the bright blue and open ocean. I could feel the ocean breeze fly through my hair, making my hair flow. I could feel the warm sand underneath my feet as I walk toward the ocean. I was imagining the waves crashing against each other. The thoughts of the beach made my entire day even though I was already having a great day hiking.

The sun was shining down right on the stone as it lay in my hand. I had so come up with a decision so I could move on with my hike, so I contemplated whether to keep the stone or leave it for someone else to discover. I knew that if someone else was to discover it, it sure would bring some sort of feeling to them. As much as I wanted to keep the stone, I knew that it would not bring another special moment like I had now. I knew it would be better to just move on and drop the stone back onto the dirt trail, so I gently dropped the stone back onto the trail, and I slowly walked away to continue my hike with a smile on my face.