The sun shimmers over the rocky terrain. Uneven surfaces stare at me. Water trickles between my exposed toes; it threatens my ankle. My eyes land upon a delicate mockingbird trailing its wings in the wind. I smile as the soft songs escape their beaks. Rushing water seeps through my ear canals, blissfully disrupting the peaceful silence.

Amnicon Falls. My mother discusses our previous ventures to this waterfall landmark, but my family and I dismiss her as we hear the story for the 20th time. “You see this rock? You and Alex used to climb under it. You hit your head when you were three on the edge right here.” She offers wisdom as her fingertips graze its surface.

My mother has a profound, educated perspective. Her profession as a camp counselor keeps her surrounded by nature all day. Her eyes glisten as she remembers screeching children wading in the lake water.

My eyes gaze and land upon a waterfall. The water rushes over the cliff toward the treacherous, teasing rocks below. Stones balance on the cliff like gymnasts on a beam, each second the tension seems to rise. Frogs bounce from rock to rock as my feet graze the sand and jagged stones in the lake. Although no words break the air, there are silent exchanges between the water and me. The waterfall whispers as the droplets tease over my now-damp hair. There is an unspoken truce between us. The water promises to keep me safe, and I promise not to destroy any of its delicate features. My ears feel bliss as the water disrupts the peaceful silence.

I step forward cautiously, my feet nearly slipping on the surface. I hear shouts of warning from my family, but my ears close themselves. My body slides itself under the gushing water. It blocks my eyesight, blurring the figures beyond the waterfall. The water sounds like a mockingbird singing in a rainstorm.

In this moment,
I cannot remember the pollution which litters the earth. I cannot remember the landfills cluttering communities. In this moment, the water and I are all that matter. In this moment, all pain slips away as a Zen embraces my body. And my ears feel bliss as the water disrupts the peaceful silence.