1
Aiden
I picked up another log and placed it on the end of the wide stump in front of me. Taking a couple of steps back, I adjusted my grip on my axe, steadied it, and swung. The blade bit into the top of the log, splitting it easily in two halves that tumbled down to either side of the stump. The sound lingered for a beat along with the fresh scent of the wood. I paused to savor in it for a second and then reached for the next log.
Cutting firewood might not have struck too many people as a thrilling option for an afternoon activity, but it was something I looked forward to. I never got enough of the satisfaction that came from gathering firewood. And it all started with a fallen tree. I’d break the tree down into more manageable pieces, and then I’d split it into wood that I could use to fuel the fire and the woodstove in my cabin.
I split a few more logs and then set my axe aside. Gathering up the pieces I had just cut, I stacked them neatly in order to keep everything organized. When I was finished, I would bring the pieces to the woodshed to protect them from the elements. This would minimize the number of little critters that might use the wood for their cozy homes in the impending cold weather.
But I had a ways to go before I would get to that point. With December rapidly approaching, winter storms were ahead, and that meant I needed to be as prepared as possible. Severe, cold weather always landed up here in the mountains much earlier than it did down in the valley. I didn’t want to get caught up here without enough supplies to keep me going. If I ran out of supplies during a power outage, then the way down into town wasn’t passable.
Fortunately, I had everything I needed around here. The forest around my mountain cabin provided everything from food to water. I could purify water easily. And I had enough wood to burn to keep me warm. The greenhouse and vegetable patch supplemented what meat I got from hunting, which made the need to go into town for supplies just an occasional inconvenience.
For the most part, I kept those trips as few and far between as I could manage. I’d much rather be right up here, enjoying the dream that I’d finally made happen for myself.
After I finally managed to prepare and sort all of the wood that I had gathered, I took a second to look at the view outside my window, just enjoying what was around me. The position of my cabin gave me the perfect vantage point. I appreciated staring out at the thick forest and the mountain peaks that set against the sky. On some summer days, they looked close enough that I could reach up and run my fingers through the clouds.
Of course, I didn’t just stumble on this kind of life. It was all I wanted when I was younger. It was the only thing that kept me going sometimes. Even when I was feeling homesick and scared in Iraq and Afghanistan, all I could fantasize about was a comfortable life beyond serving.
At the time, I didn’t let myself get bogged down by it. Instead, I focused on getting through it and doing what needed to be done, reminding myself that one day, I would have the life I always wanted. During the longest nights and most excruciating days, I gave my mind permission to wander away from the horrors of war and instead come up here to the mountains.
Those were the days and nights when the vision for my dream home really took shape. I planned what I wanted for my cabin and how I would work with the land to get what I needed. I thought about being as self-sufficient as possible and not having to engage with so many people. I could just step back from it all. I dreamt of sinking into the peace and quiet of being surrounded by nature, a chance at a brand new life.
When my time as a Marine was done, I wasted no time. Funneling much of my combat pay into investments gave me with more financial stability than I ever could have imagined I’d have. I didn’t have to think about working or worry about not being able to get by. I settled into my cabin and into my new life.
That was two years ago, and I still loved every single moment of living up on the mountain, surrounded by the forest.
I let out a long, peaceful breath and started the process of bringing all the wood to the shed. It took me a few trips back and forth, but my effort meant the shed was stocked full, and I wouldn’t need to worry about not having enough fuel for a while.