Meet Nikki

“Tu-tump…tu-tump…tu-tump.” I was sure the whole forest could hear my heart beating. Death was stalking towards me. This was my first forest sleepover, no tent, no flashlight, no teddy bear, just me, head tucked under a borrowed sleeping bag waiting to be eaten. I had come to defy my fears of the forest and by now it was too dark to run.

Soft padding sounds slowly circled my bag. I held my breath believing it would somehow create an invisibility shield around my blue, synthetic, lumpy form. I hadn’t yet learned the real art of invisibility. The animal snuffled and shuffled and plunked down beside me.

And then…it purred. A deep rumbling purr that shook my entire body. My greatest fear had cuddled up beside me.

My mind conjured horrific scenarios I was about to live through and just when I was about to pee my pj’s, an image of my orange kitty purring on my lap pierced the darkness. I knew in cat language, purring meant, “I’m content. I love you.” I assured my mind that this big cat was not about to tear me to shreds like a roll of toilet paper.

I immediately relaxed into the warmth and gentle rumblings of that cougar pressed up against me. I didn’t want to waste another moment of this incredible night. Eventually, its purr lulled me to sleep.

When I awoke it felt like I was living in a fairy tale and for the most part, my life still does. I knew I could never go back to who I once was. I finally felt at home in the wild. I belonged somewhere. If this could be my reality with nature, I wanted more and so began my journey to Becoming Wild.

I’m here to help nature light you up, to inspire you to push your edge, no matter how little or big that is, so that you too can experience the magic and wonder of this world and feel the extraordinary depths of who you are.