Forests Scare Me

Copy of IMG_2371, originally uploaded by jryanpackard.

Forests scare me. Not all of them, just the ones here in the Southeast. In Texas, where I grew up, there is very little undergrowth. The harsh climate means that where there are trees there often aren't resources available for much else, so it's a very congenial relationship with the forsests in Texas. It's as though one can reach a mutual understanding with the trees-you're both just trying to survive the heat. But here in the lush, verdant Southeast, the forest wants to kill you. I'm not kidding. It doesn't want to kill you in any sort of sudden way that you might suspect, but if you gave it the opportunity, it would methodically overtake your car, your home, and your person. It's like a bad dream, or a good horror movie.