The Forest Within

This evening, standing on the edge of a hill covered in soft grass, I felt my mind slip away into another world. The breeze touched me like an old memory, and for a heartbeat, I wondered, "Have I been here before?" Not here exactly, but somewhere like this… a place of forests, mountains, and endless skies. What if I once lived that life? I can almost feel it. Running barefoot through meadows that stretched like eternity, the grass brushing my ankles, laughter ringing in the air. I see fruits hanging low from trees, and my hands reaching up to pluck them, juice dripping down my chin. I hear the rustle of bamboo groves, filled with birdsong, hundreds of notes weaving together like a secret language only I could understand. There’s a river in that dream too, white and clear, running wild and free. I imagine sitting on cool rocks at its edge, dipping my legs into the rushing water, splashing until the drops glitter like jewels in the sunlight. I chase butterflies until I fall in...