Day 3233 —I wish I could start Every Day like This—

I started running down the trail. As I looked to my left, I saw one elk standing in the middle of the road, and a car was stopped in front. I took a few pictures and looked at the elk for a moment, feeling lucky I got to see one. Suddenly, I saw at least a dozen elk move in unison, running away from the fence.

I stopped and walked and noticed every elk looking directly at me. 

"I am sorry I startled you all," I said in the softest tone possible. They weren't moving; they were just looking at me. I took some pictures through the fence and just stared at them in wonder. They all looked so scared, which made me feel bad for scaring them. 

"I am going to start running again," I told them. I felt like if I warned them and let them process what I was doing, they might not be so scared this time. And they weren't. When I looked back, they didn't seem scared anymore, but instead, they looked curious in their gaze.

As I started really going and getting deeper into the trail, I noticed myself smiling. Then, I saw a white owl fly and land on a branch close to where I was. I feel myself relaxing by reimagining it now.

It brings me so much joy to be alone with wild animals running by the river. I wish I could start every day like this.