“I caught a glimpse of a woodchuck stealing across my path, and felt a strange thrill of savage delight, and was strongly tempted to seize and devour him raw; not that I was hungry then, except for the wildness which he represented.” One may admit this is a peculiar passage from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Peculiar indeed, I thought at first. Although, from the moment I understood its oddity, I felt a strong connection to this “savage delight” to which Thoreau was referring. This desire, to devour wildness.
I’ve always felt a certain peace, yet strange enthusiasm when around nature. It’s a paradox that cannot be easily articulated. Nature invokes a peace for its stunning raw beauty, unblemished by man. Yet at the same time it invokes a desire to explore and conquer.
As I stood at Rocky Butte Overlook in Portland, Oregon, I took in my surroundings. An active volcanic Mount St. Helens to the North, a perfectly snow capped Mount Hood to the East, and the long stretch of the Cascade Mountain Range in between. Turning my head to the left, I could see the Columbia River, its dark blue waters separating Washington and Oregon. Hardly a cloud in the sky, it was a moment to which no picture or description could do justice.
My decision to move out west was that of pure idealism. I threw out all the disconcerting voices in my head concerning money, responsibility, and the six steps towards living a fulfilled life. I wanted adventure. I wanted to explore. I packed up my things and headed west. I was a 19 year old kid, moving out west with no connections. Uncertainties awaited, and I salivated at that idea. My few months spent in Portland were full of new friends, too much coffee, and lots of rainy bike rides. Yet it was moments when I was captivated by the beauty of nature that remain sealed in my memory.
So as I stood there, taking on the magnificent view before me, I felt that strange paradox overtaking me. I felt that overwhelming sense of contentment, yet pure enthusiasm for exploration. It was in these moments when the realization of my adventurous trip was fused with the stunning beauty that surrounded me. It was in these moments, when I began to understand the true meaning of the “savage delight” Thoreau refers to. I’ll never forget those picturesque Cascades, and what they represented.
I believe that the raw beauty of nature connects us to something bigger than ourselves. I believe in moments when consciousness of time and awareness of self are lost in the magnitude of the experience. I believe in a paradox, that nature brings about a sense of peace, yet adventurous enthusiasm. I believe in the woodchuck, and an unrelenting desire to “devour wildness.”