A sparsely populated island near the top of the globe, Iceland is—quite literally—a country still in the making. It is a vast volcanic laboratory where geological forces constantly reshape the land: geysers erupt, mud pots bubble, ice-covered volcanoes rumble, and glaciers carve deep valleys through the mountains. Its landscapes seem designed to remind us of our smallness in the grand scheme of things. And Iceland has a quietly transformative effect on those who visit—something I experienced myself.