I understood this song even in my teens. For the longest time I was scared of going anywhere by myself. I decided though I couldn’t depend on others and I wasn’t content to be small nor to stay at home.
I decided many years ago I wanted to become braver and get healthier. What is the easiest way to exercise ? Walk ..
So I decided to start walking behind my house. I live behind some woods where there is a old mining road . It stretches for miles. There is also a little creek that I adore that runs through it.
So every morning I would put my earphones in and walk it. For the most part it’s abandoned except during certain times of the year. This particular morning in Early Spring I was about to have one of the most scariest moments of my life.
The whole walk from my house and back is around 40 min. I was heading home (15 min) away when I saw a man in camouflage with a long gun coming towards me. (Forgive me I don’t know what type it was as it was quite shocking coming across someone else first and foremost and it being a man second )
I’m alone in the woods and I didn’t tell a single soul . My mind is furiously thinking I could literally die here today. No-one would know til my husband comes back home.
My son would eventually realize I’m not in the house but he wouldn’t go looking that far.
How long would it take for someone to find me? Will my mom try calling today?(probably not as we had fought the day before)
All of these thoughts and others are going through my mind. I just had wanted to go on a relaxing nature walk like all the other days before. A place where I could listen to my music, dance unseen, and pretend noone else knew the place. It was mine!
I couldn’t go around him well maybe I could have went through the woods running like a mad woman. I abhor being seen as weak.
So I gathered my courage to walk past him. He proceeds to film me with his phone and follow my every move.
So now I’m in a pickle I can’t really go home. I don’t want him to know where I live. So I go through the woods to my neighbor’s house. I burst through the woods and go as far from my house as I can.
I do this as calmly as I could til I get behind one my neighbor’s storage buildings where I start shaking and crying.
Why did he do it? I still don’t know the answer to that. I found out later it was turkey season so I guess he was pissed I disturbed him.
Women shouldn’t feel the need or have to tell people what they are doing at anytime. But unfortunately we do!
Women we always have to tell someone where we going just in case. If I’m not back in such in such time.
My husband doesn’t have to do that..He might or might not tell me where he is going. Everyone needs personal time.
As a female we know we need to tell someone if we are going alone somewhere. It irks me though that I have to do it! I like to disappear for a bit just because .. Nope can’t do that.
I have heard many news stories where women went jogging in the early morning or around dusk. They were murdered or worse. Why can’t we go walking or jogging by ourselves without worrying?
This does concern me but I still do it. I will continue to do it. Why? I will not b held back by fear . I do though practice being safe as much as I can.
I have had another such episode that happened this year . It was also in the Spring. I decided ok I will go walk at my local park. Safer right? Lol
My local park has trails also in the woods that I like to walk. There is a main trail and other trails that connect.
Before I go in the trail in the woods I make sure people are past me or no one is around. A man was past me walking on the main trail. So I headed on to the wooded trail halfway I saw he had took another wooded trail to meet me and started asking me questions . I had saw him coming so I texted my husband .
He saw I was answering my husband so he wrapped it up quickly. I just wanted to do my walk and go home.
So now every time I go walking I have to b on the phone with my husband or text him every time I don’t feel quite right.
I shouldn’t have to do this. I tell him I hate to get him involved. I hate feeling unsafe when I’m just trying to enjoy a beautiful day in the park.
Sure men have to sometimes worry about their safety too But do they have to worry about walking in the park.
How about driving at night? All I know is many women have had personal experiences where they felt they weren’t safe . They were followed, accosted just because they were female. Try that crap with my husband lol. I wouldn’t advise it.
I just wished females and men could both feel safe doing what they love to do. Noone should feel like they have to tell someone what they are going to do. (Just so someone will know in case you come up missing)
Unfortunately this is the world we live in..
Agree.
* Any man who answers with you should learn basic self defense will be automatically blocked. You missed the point of this piece entirely*