The first night alone in the woods was both thrilling and humbling. My half-built cabin stood like a promise against the dark pines, its walls barely holding back the wilderness. A single lantern cast flickering shadows as wind whispered through the trees. Every snap of a twig sent my heart racing—coyotes? Owls? Or just the forest settling? Wrapped in a sleeping bag on the bare floor, I listened to the rhythm of nature, far from civilization. Stars peeked through the roof’s gap. Fear faded into peace. This was raw, real, and mine. I wasn’t just building a cabin—I was building a life.
