I have been going to the metroparks my entire life thanks to my outdoorsy mama (who passed said outdoorsy-ness onto me)! Since starting the Trail Challenge, I have been revisiting parks I’ve been to dozens of times (or ones I’ve never been to) all on my own, which has allowed me to deepen my personal connection to nature even further. At Lake Erie Metropark – one I’ve been to often – I found myself walking more slowly, taking in more details, and listening for anything my ears could possibly pick up on. Turns out, taking time to clear your mind and just observe your surroundings without any sort of judgement (good or bad) can turn you into a vessel of creativity. I have always been a creative person, I’m working to become a professional actor, and I love making visual art as well; but one thing I have tried and seemingly failed at is songwriting. However, on my solo trip to the park, I came across a duck sleeping on a log, and I felt inspired to sing about her and her surroundings. Almost magically, the words flowed from out of my lips like they never had before, and I ended up writing a song my mom certainly would have been blasting for me as a young child. -Sunny