"The Chattooga River rushes out of North Carolina and churns into South Carolina in a wild frenzy. It hurls itself furiously against house-sized boulders and free-falls down precipitous gorges, crashing thunderously into deep basins where it becomes calm for a while, gathering energy to spill over the next ledge and then renew the chaotic tumult."
I spoke those words to Ms. Wonder as we neared the spill basin of Looking Glass Falls. We were on our first waterfall hike in years and it felt good to be out of the chill of Mom Nature's quiet period.
"I could say the same about you," said the Wonder.
"Countless waterways drain from these lofty hills accounting for more waterfalls per square mile than any other area east of the Mississippi and one of them, Whitewater Falls, on the border with North Carolina, is a contender for the title of Tallest Waterfall in the East.”
"I know all this, of course," said Wonder. "After all, I've read all your travel articles."
Tens of thousands of visitors come to the Southern Appalachians each year to search for these waterfalls—a ritual repeated globally, wherever hills and streams are found. There are multiple reasons for this universal pilgrimage but I like to think that the underlying reason for most of us is that it just feels good to stand near the plunge basin of a large fall due to negatively-charged ions being 50% higher there and those neg-ions are proven to be mood enhancers.
Wonder nodded in agreement. "It's true, there's something magical about being near a waterfall. The sound of the water, the mist, the energy that surrounds you. It's like nature's own therapy session."
We continued our hike, taking in the stunning scenery and the sound of rushing water. We reached the top of the fall and took in the view. "It's hard to explain why we chase waterfalls," I said. "But I think, at the end of the day, it's about the thrill of the chase and the feeling of being alive. And that's worth it all."
As we stood there, taking in the beauty of the Chattooga, I couldn't help but feel a sense of euphoria. It was as if the neg-ions were working their magic and I felt a new man, reborn by the power of the waterfall. And I knew, I'll be chasing waterfalls forever.
"It's transformative, Poopsie. I feel like a new man."
"And what about the feeling that you're extra baggage and that life has no point?"
Gone like the wind," I said, and I twirled around like a ballerina, almost losing my balance and feeling the goose for it.
"Sorry 'bout that I said. Don't want to startle you. But I do have a new spring in my step and a song in my heart."
"Then let's keep chasing happy memories from now 'till the church bell chimes," she said and I remember thinking that I liked the way she put it.
"So let it be written; so let it be done," I said.
"Engage!" she said.