Skinny Love - Bon Iver - Fiddle River

My heart melts for this one. I found out about Bon Iver the day before I decided to go for a solo camp trip in November. I hit up Switzer National Park and went for a hike just inside Jasper National Park on the Fiddle River Trail.

The night spent in Switzer was intense. Winds were gusting up to 70km an hour, temperature was hovering around -4. Neither of which could match the turmoil growling inside of me. Sleep isn't the word I would use, but I got some time of shut eye in while listening to For Emma, With Love. Amidst the the howling winds, blaring music, and terrifying thoughts in my head I heard some noise a short distance outside my tent. Wearily I peeked out my head. In the glisten of the moon light I could see a magnificent Buck. About 25 feet away, it was looking right back at me. We locked glances and in his eyes I saw myself. A being out in the cold moon lit mountains, wondering if it was going to snow. Wondering how to make the next decision. It must have only been a moment, the Buck turned and walked away, into the darkness, with his head held high, still wondering, but not needing the answer. And the ipod sung:

I told you to be patient
I told you to be fine
I told you to be balanced
I told you to be kind
In the morning I'll be with you
But it will be a different "kind"
I'll be holding all the tickets
And you'll be owning all the fines

I woke up the next morning and proceeded to my hiking destination. The corridor at the beginning of the trail used to be an old road way into the hills, that has long been abandoned. New trees and plants grew through the old pavement and stone. It was remarkable. To see nature grow back through mans destruction. It felt as though I was trespassing in an area that we were once aloud in, but since lost our privilege to enter. The trail was adorned with all sorts of fresh tracks in the light snow that fell the night before. The most tremendous of all were paws that were bigger than both my fists balled up side by side. Hesitantly I moved on, remembering the words of the song last night. With each step and each note of the harmonica, my friend Matt lent me for safety, or more so peace of mind, the fear melted away. I reached the river and was flattened by the energy it sent whipping down. I grounded myself, washed my head, face, and hands in its icy waters. I collected rocks, or rather they collected me. Up the river I went. Eventually the path ran out, the river was the only path that remained. With fresh socks and shoes in my car I did not hesitate to step in and continue up the shallow sides towards the fall ahead that awaited.

This river is known as a portal to the spirit world among the Natives in the area. I have no doubt in this upon reaching the fall. I climbed out of the water up the fall to a ledge where I could sit peacefully and look back at the path that had brought me there. I sat for some time with my eyes closed, praying. When I opened my eyes I was pleased to see it had began to snow. The flakes were huge. What I noticed was how slowly they fell. They bounced around like feathers in a breeze. None of them were in a hurry to hit the ground and melt, or join the others that had fallen from grace. I held my head high and I walked back to my car. Patient, fine, balanced, and kind.