A Lesson in the Forest

I recently created an AI animated piece to discuss one quirky thing that happens when people are disoriented: they walk in circles. When there are no reliable cues to navigate an environment, humans can easily get lost or disoriented. Sensory and motor errors pile up and then they begin to walk in circles. This is why it is important to learn to navigate with a paper map. I congratulated myself on this sage advice.

Later in the day, I decided to step out for a walk and get some fresh air, so I went to the local woods that have a network of trails crisscrossing an old growth forest.

I'm somewhat familiar with this area, but not familiar enough. I get disoriented easily. This time, I decided to focus and pay close attention to the trail names and other cues along the way, so I could find my way back easily. I turned this way and that deeper into the forest that was fresh with new life.

The afternoon sunlight created magnificent effects on the foliage. I took a few pictures and was engrossed in my task. On the way back, I decided to follow a different route from where I had originally come up to that point. I took a left turn, followed the trail, then took a right, followed the trail, and promptly got disoriented.

The thing about getting lost besides the fact that it's very easy, is that sometimes we're not even aware that it has happened until one has traversed a great distance. In my case, I was consciously relying in my orienteering abilities as a matter of principle. I could have easily turned on the phone and looked at Google maps, but I would not stoop so low. That would be like... like asking for directions. Never! So onwards I walked to find my way home.

At one point, something nagged me at the back of my head, as they say, so just to make sure, I pulled out my phone and opened the maps app. Sure enough, I was actually walking in the opposite direction from where I was supposed to go. I restarted the app not quite believing my infallible navigation abilities were so fallible. The blood rose to my face, and in spite of the 9 deg C temperature, I felt hot under the collar. Maybe the app was wrong, I theorized. Was I wrong? I looked back down the trail. Now I had to walk all that way in the opposite direction. Darn it. Oh well, I shrugged in GenX fashion and turned around.

On the way back, I noticed the battery on the phone was low. The sun was rapidly sinking. Then, I kid you not, I found a paper map of the area on the ground. It was as if mother nature was having a laugh and saying, 'here you go!'

I picked up the map and took it home.

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