What is ‘peace of mind’? How is it achieved? More importantly, where is it achieved? To me, peace of mind is the ultimate goal that we forget to strive for. Humans are constantly moving and concerned about superficial matters; what time it is, what we look like. But what if we all stopped, caught our breath, and tried to find our peace of mind?

Sometimes I forget myself. I forget who I am, where I came from, and what I strive for in life. I lose my peace of mind; the simple joys in life turn into a tangled ball of yarn. But in those moments, I look back on the memories of my place, my serenity, my peace of mind. My peace of mind is a small jut of land extending out into the clear glass lake. Chapel Point: rooted sown lively pines that prick the blissful sky with their tops, embedded with ancient rocks weathered by the constant nag and tease of waves splashing their sides, and based on rich soil that gives life to all. Chapel Point is where Sunday sermons occur for campers of a Minnesota YMCA camp. The pulpit, a stone and wood ledge, faces a few rows of wooden benches, which look out upon the peaceful lake. It is a place of reflection and prayer, of joy and friendship.

Many people venture into the serenity of Chapel Point to find God; I go to find myself. The only sermon I attend is where the fresh breeze preaches quietly in my ears and the lapping lake conducts the choir whose melody filters through the pine boughs as the brilliant sunlight does. It is a place associated with religion; in this regard my god is Mother Nature, who blessed the earth with the lakes, streams, and forests. She provided me a place to reflect; my faith rests in her creations.

I sit on a boulder at the water’s edge and stare into the clear hypnotizing water. I clear my tangled mind. I see my endless opportunities in life in the endless blue sky that covers the million treetops like and airy, goose-feathered blanket. The crisp air passes through my lungs and rejuvenates my whole body. This is my peace of mind.

The serenity of Chapel Point is captivation; there is a quiet stillness that infiltrates the air for a moment when all my thinking halts and nature’s beauty grabs hold of my mind and soul, carrying it across the lake and through the trees. When my soul and thoughts soar through the air and mingle with the birds I am able to cut through the layers and reconnect with my true self. I have found me. I have found my peace of mind.