Connection to land

Today we talked about whether we feel connected to where we live, or if we knew a place that was 'home' to us.
I felt so stirred up as soon as the topic was raised, as i have experienced deep connection to land for the first time in my life only last year.
I can remember when it happened, too.
The first time I went to Byrrill Creek with Forest, i felt quite unsteadied by the wildness of the place.. surrounded by rainforest and huge mountains and absolutely abundant with life. The way I described it to anyone was to say  that nature was definitely winning in Byrrill Creek. This was a rare experience for me, as I was so used to seeing controlled, tamed and constricted versions of nature.
For the large part, weeds are left to be, serving their purpose as fodder and holding steep banks together on the edges of creek. Wildlife abounds, creeks run with pristine water straight from Mount Warning, everyone knows everyone and noone locks their homes or cars.
The house sits at the edge of a creek, and it was being encroached upon by masses of barner grass, which grow so high they block a lot of light, which in rainforest country, is highly valued.
The place had a real feeling of being away from time.. and a seductive magic that had me spellbound.
I remember thinking it felt too unsettling to stay there long.. and it took some time to adjust to the way the place felt.
After i decided to move there, a process unlike any other i've encountered began.
Each time i went for a walk, i walked so slowly, really taking in the individual trees of the area, honouring their beauty, their gifts to the surrounding animals, insects, ecosystem.. I marvelled at the way the light turned them into living pieces of art, and the critters crawling on them made the art even more alive.
The leaves scattered on the ground were absolutely stunning. Bright red and golden mottled leaves lay interspersed in the green and brown debris on the forest floor. They each had patterns all over them, uniquely beautiful and distinct.
I remember thinking it would take me many many years of walking to meet each of the trees in such a small strip.
I remember feeling the mutual appreciation of recognition and honouring that gratitude and an open heart avails.
I felt embraced, yet so so young in their presence. And this was just the trees.
A few weeks after my first trip to Byrrill Creek, Forest took me to the creek in Pretty Gully..
Pretty Gully is where i really arrived home.
It's safest to walk barefoot where i live.. and Pretty Gully is a challenge to navigate even barefoot as so much of it is covered with dense moss and slippery green growth.
This creek was where Forest grew up, and spent so much of his time. As we headed up creek, he hopped effortlessly from rock to rockface, incredibly and beautifully agile and fluid. I lumbered somewhat behind him, attempting to imitate his effortlessness but finding myself so much slower and more careful.
We climbed over trees that had fallen and were now homes to masses of insects, moss and growth. The air was damp and cool, and sunlight sprinkled through the trees in patches, highlighting where the warm rocks to sit on were.
We stopped a while, and in stillness, i was able to really take in the beauty around me. It was overwhelmingly beautiful and alive. I couldn't believe how much there was to explore. In just a few metres around me, it would take days to see and acknowledge each incredible beautiful living being.
A huge carpet snake lay coiled and asleep a metre away from us, vines hung from trees and everywhere was so so green. The energy of the place was powerful. The magic was palpable.
My eyes took in sights that were so new, so fresh to them, that i sat in wide eyed disbelief that a place could be so beautiful and amazing. Deep deep gratitude welled in me as i honoured the magnificence of this place. I was also feeling deep gratitude for Forest, for him bringing me here.. with tears of gratitude, i thanked him for bringing me home. I breathed the fresh cool air, savouring its damp sweetness, closed my eyes and listening to the gentle song of the running water all around me.