Quiet Time

I'm one of those people that values and needs quite a bit of alone time. I have a job that requires me to be social so when my work day is over I'm desperate for silence. I'm not really a social person by nature so it's a bit of an act whenever I'm in a situation that requires it. I've learned to enjoy it but by the end of the day I need the quiet that living in the woods provides. We have the privilege of living on a dead end road almost 10 miles from town. "Town". I think it's actually classified as a village. 1200 people, no stoplights, an equal number of churches and bars. Definitely a Northern Wisconsin village.
In the seven years we've lived here we've noticed that the closer we get to our house the more relaxed we get. I can actually feel my heart rate drop, my breathing mellows, I mellow as we turn onto our quiet little road. It's a beautiful thing to slow down, roll down the windows, turn off the radio and maybe even the headlights and just listen. It's even more beautiful to roll into the drive, step out of the now silent car and into the absolute calm. The only noise being the frogs and owls and my relaxed breath mixing with the wind through the trees. The only light is a sky full of stars and the dancing of the Aurora Borealis on those truly special nights. I need this place. The first time I saw it I knew I was home. I haven't felt that since I was about seven when my family moved from the old farm house my parents rented while my dad started a new business. They moved us into town to be closer to other kids, school, the new business. I would have happily stayed in that old airy house with the closest neighbor a mile away, a stray dog and my imagination as my only companions.
In many ways I haven't changed in the past 34 years. I would still prefer to be with my dog in the woods most of the time. I love my wife and the life we share but I still need that quiet time each day. This quiet time is one of the big reasons I run. The miles and hours alone on a narrow trail in the forest seems to dampen the noise in my head. I love the mental peace that accompanies the physical fatigue of a long run. When I'm alone running in the woods I feel like I'm that child exploring the old farm again. Every trail run, rain or shine, feels like the first time I saw my house. There's an overwhelming sense of peace and freedom. I need this place.
I'm home.