While I've been at Conserve I've been given the gift of constant beauty. I get to open my blinds every morning and drink in the scenery. Be it a hazy grey or a bright blue I enjoy every second. In all of my classes I can continue to appreciate how lucky I am. In at least one class every day I get to head out into nature. And even inside, all around me there are signs of nature. The monarch butterflies emerging from their cocoons in the homemade cages and the paintings of Big Donahue all tie me to the natural world. All of these stunning occurrences are fun to take pictures of, but even better I like just lying in the grass with my friends and listening to the sweet notes of the guitar and ukulele and look up at the sky. It doesn't matter whether it's day or night or where I am. Looking up and just relaxing and thinking about the universe. That's where I like to be.Swinging on the swing set is another favorite destination. For me, the swings are place where my dreams can soar into the sky and I feel like I can almost touch them. When I am swinging I feel like I fly, but I always know I can reach the ground safely. For me, it's almost as though I get a high from swinging. When I am soaring through the air I am intoxicated with happiness and have the sudden urge to sing my heart out. I never stop smiling. The wind whistling through my ears is the only thing that I can hear. Perhaps all I really want to hear while I'm in this zone of apartness. Reflecting upon the world with a heart bubbling over with joy.
I learned that the simplest pleasures such as swinging can allow you to stop, step away, and reflect on your outstanding achievements with great pride. At the same time it also lets you see the small things in nature and in life that you were missing. For instance the deep dark, cool earth coating your toes as you scuff your feet around when you swing, or the crisp crackle of the leaves without the voices of people interfering. I recently realized that while humans see the winter as a dead, grey, and lifeless time I see the left over brightly colored autumn leaves and hear the birds and squirrels scurrying around (all very alive and busy creatures and things). It's quite a different way to see the world and I quite like it from where I'm swinging. Besides observing my surroundings I also did a little internal review. When I am soaring through the sky I know my options are limitless. Any second I could jump out of the swing and feel that rush of adrenaline. It seems as though this same feeling has started applying to my life too. I have begun to recognize there are way more doors waiting for me to open them, but I haven't been able to see them until now. My line of vision has been broadened exponentially while at Conserve. I just need that little push, that gust of wind under my wings to reach out and grasp the opportunity. I think that wind is just around the corner... I can feel it coming.
Hope you enjoyed it! :)
I enjoyed it. I like your style, MJ.
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