I didnt know if I was brave or reckless.
Aspen Matis, Girl in the Woods: A Memoir.
“The trees were friendly, they gave me rest and shadowed refuge. Slipping through them, I felt safe and competent. My whole body was occupied. I had little energy to think or worry.”
“Beneath hot sun, desert roses bloomed. Under cold moon, I still refused to.”
“And so, despite the complex web of paths, waterfalls, cliffs, as a hiker wanders downhill, drainages merge, faint, abstract paths coalesce, thicken, until there is one path the one, natural, trodd...”
“I was passive by nature. I had always been. Arguing felt unnatural and uncomfortable. I was always agreeing even when I didnt really, instinctively looking for ways to forfeit power, to become more...”
“This was trail magic. Sea Breezes fire, his light, his heat, his life, remained, their salvation. It is a fact that all drainages, if followed downhill, lead to the same lowland water body. Lost an...”
“I saw now that bad men existed who would take advantage of any weakness and insecurity they found when violating a victim. I saw it was not my fault; I did not choose to be raped or kidnapped. But ...”
“There was so little I wanted to carry. Packing my backpack took me all of four minutes”
“Only the brave men and women can bring peace to the world, not by practicing war but by practicing nonviolence.”
“Live the Life of Your Dreams: Be brave enough to live the life of your dreams according to your vision and purpose instead of the expectations and opinions of others.”
“No matter how long you train someone to be brave, you never know if they are or not until something real happens.”
“If you are not willing to stand up for anything or anybody, then why should the Creator take a single step to help you?”
“If I am to be fallen into love, I will. And if as a result I will appear to be stupid, disillusioned, and of poor judgment, I will. And I would be damned if I cared what other people think. For I w...”
“To be brave is to love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. To just give. That takes courage, because we don't want to fall on our faces or leave ourselves open to hurt.”