Growing up in the Delaware Water Gap
The great Canadian singer-songwriter, Gordon Lightfoot, once said, "You just get the vibes of your surroundings and it rubs off on you." I could not be any more grateful that such a place ended up being the Delaware Water Gap for me. Ultimately, it has shaped and molded me into who I have become today. I believe that my biggest passions and beliefs in life are as a result of this amazing place that allowed me to not only be free and express myself, but to be humbled and inspired at the same time.
The Delaware Water Gap is a small region located along the border of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, about 70 miles west of New York City. Here, the Delaware River cuts through the Appalachian Mountains, creating a long stretch of waterfalls, hiking trails and beautiful scenery. There is an abundance of flora and fauna, including deer, black bear and even a variety of edible cactus. The water gap is notorious for swimming, hiking, kayaking, biking, camping and foraging. With all of these offerings, the Delaware Water Gap serves as a paradise, an escape and even a form of medicine, in my opinion.
Contrary to the standard upbringing, my childhood and teenage years consisted of exploring the outdoors and connecting to nature. My friends and I would use every given opportunity to seek out uncharted territories and create unforgettable memories in our very own backyard, the water gap itself. Such experiences created a bond like no other between those I grew up with and myself and allowed us to appreciate the true beauty that the world has to offer. My upbringing here also helped me develop four traits that I like to live by today, which is to be creative, to have attention to detail, to be an active listener and to be humble. The water gap provides me with a canvas to be creative in expressing my true self and passions. Being surrounded by the constant sights and sounds of water, flora and fauna, I quickly learned to be aware of my surroundings which is where I believe I developed my attention to detail and listening skills from. Lastly, being surrounded by nature and beauty helped me realize that there is much more to the world besides oneself. That realization keeps me humbled, helps me to appreciate everything I am given and allows me to enjoy the moment, before moving on to the next desire and want. To this day, I return home to the water gap to escape reality where I can reconnect with myself and my surroundings, confront my inner demons and find inspiration to take on new challenges in life. The water gap continues to ground, humble, and inspire me each time I am fortunate enough to visit.
The Delaware Water Gap also serves as a form of expression and inspiration for myself. I like to be creative through my passion for food and health and am always searching for new ways to share that with people to bring about positive change. In doing so, I enjoy using the water gap as a means to showcase such passions. My favorite summer activity is to invite friends and family to my best-loved locations in the area where I can prepare unforgettable dishes for them. For me, it acts a form of art and creativity, creates a form of communal sharing, brings about good conversation and lastly, brings everyone joy and happiness. Such moments provide me with clarity that I am carrying out my true purpose in life, which I believe is using food as a catalyst for health and positive change. My hope is that for anyone who visits the Delaware Water Gap, that it too inspires them, provides moments of clarity and brings about positive change in his/her own life.
Overall, the Delaware Water Gap has shaped and molded me into the person I have become today and helped me determine what I truly desire in life, which for me, is peace, happiness and health. For anyone searching for the same, or seeks simply to be in nature, I personally challenge him/her to experience the unquestionable beauty that the Delaware Water Gap has to offer. I can assure that this paradise and escape will both humble and inspire you. And for anyone who cannot visit the water gap itself, there is nature and beauty everywhere, so go out and discover your very own paradise.