“We have five more miles, and then we turn left, and it’ll be up ahead. According to this website, we can’t miss it.” Nate nods his head and signals to get into the far right lane.
The sign for “Collier Cave National Park” is big, bright, and orange as soon as we get off the interstate. Travel blogs were right about not being able to miss it.
In my research, I found a lot of online articles saying to do things outdoors as a way to help with mental stress. Hence our floating inner tube day. Simply being surrounded by the calming atmosphere of the outdoors can reduce your stress levels and just bring you instant joy. I read that it’s almost immediate to your brain. I figured something like this can’t hurt, so why not try it? Plus, a chance to hike through a cave, climb some cliffs, see waterfalls or wildlife… It all sounds really beautiful.
“Okay, right up here, I think. There should be an entrance.” I sit up straight in the seat, now getting excited about the day we’re about to have.
Nate pulls into the parking lot and I kick off my sandals, throwing on my sneakers and grabbing my jacket out of my overnight bag. Nate gets out of the truck and I watch as he pulls the blue shirt over his head with one arm and then opens the back door to grab a fresh one out of his bag. His hands rifle through some of the clothes on the top before he pulls out a black shirt and pulls it over his body.
We stop at the information center first and grab a map so we know where we’re going. Even though it seems like there’s a pretty clear trail, I’m not taking any chances.
The trees around us are losing their leaves due to the changing season, but I still love the way it looks out here. The ground is covered in leaves, but there’s still a very clear outline of the trail we’re supposed to be on. As we walk, I can see a giant rock up ahead and it looks like this is probably where the entrance to the cave is.
“Okay, I’m pretty sure that’s the cave. But we’ll follow this map. I’m not confident enough in our memory and don’t want to get lost just marking trees or something crazy.”
Nate scoffs at me with a sarcastic smirk. “Men have navigated ships in the night with nothing more than the sky, I think we’ll be fine in a small state park.” I just roll my eyes at him and I take a pen out of my small backpack and make notes and circles on it.
It’s beautiful here, the way the trees hang over the opening of the cave, just enough to give it an almost fairytale look. Nate’s walking slightly in front of me and turns back every few seconds, making sure I’m still behind him. As the path narrows a bit, I move myself a little closer to him. The moment we enter the cave and look up, I’m completely mesmerized. It’s like a scene from a movie, and I can barely believe this place is real.
Everything echoes in here as we slowly walk through. There’s a small waterfall where we can hear the water gushing from one side. Our steps stay in sync as we both look around in complete amazement.
“Wow,” Nate breathes out, looking down at me with a smile. “Fucking incredible,” he says. His words echo and I nudge his shoulder, tilting my head behind us where there’s a family with kids just a few feet away.
“Kids are going to learn it some time,” he whispers down into my ear.
My teeth bite into my bottom lip to stop a smile, but it’s no use. We walk down the path through this cave, marveling at every intricate detail that the Earth has created down here. Each ridge and groove of the rocks look like they’ve been perfectly carved out to fit in the spot they’re in. It’s a good thing neither of us are claustrophobic because this would easily send someone into a panic if they were.
Once we walk all the way through the cave, we get to a large opening near another running waterfall. I look up, letting some of the warmth from the sun hit my face after being in a cold cave for the last thirty minutes.
There are a few trails that seemingly go off in different directions, so Nate and I take the less crowded route and begin walking.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” he answers without hesitation.
“If you weren’t playing football, if you weren’t insanely talented and had to do something else, what do you think it’d be?”
“To be honest, I’ve never really given it much thought. I… I took bullshit classes in college just to get by. I always saw myself playing football. I guess I never really had a plan B, which hindsight now was pretty fucking dumb.” Each stride Nate and I take is in fluid motion.
“What would you be doing if you weren’t a personal trainer?” His voice is slightly hoarse.
There are black stones only slightly submerged in the water of a stream up ahead. I noticed them from a few yards back, and once I’m close enough, I step on one and then another, going in a circle as if I’m a child learning how to balance for the first time.
“I don’t know specifically, but I know I’d be helping people somehow. Maybe doing social work? A non-profit? Something where I’d make a difference.” I see Nate has stopped near the edge, just watching me. Probably waiting to see if he’ll need to perform a water rescue.
“You’d be a chef. Or, you’d be doing something like that, too. Helping people,” I add.
“I don’t know, Mi.” Nate’s hands land in the pockets of his shorts as he paces a few steps back and forth.
“I do. You’ve got a bigger heart than you let people see. You’re more considerate and caring than you lead on. I know the optics of being a professional athlete means you need to be tough and manly, but you can be those things and also show that you’re soft and gentle. Plus, I wouldn’t be able to be best friends with someone who didn’t also find the wonder of a night sky magical. You’re a helper, Nate. Even if you don’t think you are. You’ve helped me a lot more than you probably realize.”
“Yeah, well, you’re a hell of a lot better at it than I am.” His hand reaches out to mine as I stand there and I take it before stepping off the rock.
“That’s debatable.” I smile up at him from the ground once I’ve taken a seat to get a break. Nate grins down at me and I swear, a genuine smile from Nate Campbell is one of the most beautiful sights.
“Are you getting tired yet? Little legs about to give out?” he teases as I trail behind him on this walk. The air is cold and the sun is shining and everything just feels so comforting out here, so peaceful and serene. I really hope Nate feels the same, this whole thing was to keep up with my initiative to help him relax and reset.
“I’m doing just fine back here,” I pant out. A lie I know he quickly catches on to when he stops abruptly in front of me.
