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All of last week I was blissfully situated in the woods. I was completely cut off from modern everyday life - no cell phone, hot shower, or flushing toilet. I wasn't just camping or hiking, but I found myself at Tom Brown's Tracker School, located in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. There, I was surprised to find that a) the Pine Barrens are anything but barren and b) the roads and woods reminded me closely of Martha's Vineyard - sandy drives, medium height bushes, and a mix of youngish trees that were filled with more wildlife that one could imagine.

As I slowly readjust to the metropolitan world, I am praying that the essence of the experience will remain with me: the indescribable feeling of being completely immersed in nature, with no walls or barriers between me and the soft earth, the stroking breeze, and the chime of numerous birds from the leafy green latticework above.

The course was practical but also spiritual. During the week-long stay, our group of 62 "standard class" students were taught subjects concerning survival, tracking, and awareness. The school's philosophy (which I found both intriguing and comforting) views the teachings not as a man vs. nature battle, but as ancient skills which, through practice, slowly meld your way of living into one in harmony with the pristine perfection of the natural world.

While so much can be said for the intensity and depth of the course, I will consider it a success if just one reader takes a moment to: stop and smell the roses or flowers (literally), enjoys the time spent outside just a little more, or looks with appreciation and gratitude at the food on their plate that was so graciously given by none other than Mother Nature herself.