Ordinary Days

Many of us feel like we’ve wasted our days at home during this pandemic. This photo, however, is from one of my favorite memories from the summer, and I consider it time well spent. That morning, my dad had offered to take my brother and I on a hike. I was happy to get out of the house, but my brother, Enzo, said he’d rather stay home.

Soon after, my dad and I were set on hiking. We brought my brother, admittedly against his will, and spent a long car ride up big cottonwood canyon, talking about whatever was on our minds. After the quick walk from the car to the start of the hike we had chosen, silver lake, and a short distance more up the dusty trail, we were in an open field of wildflowers and grass ringed by pine trees. After a while in the refreshing mountain air, all our complaints were forgotten. A pair of hikers coming down the trail warned us of a moose just off of the path in the trees a little ways ahead, barely visible in the background of the photo. We stopped for a moment to watch her, then passed her by, and reached the lake at the end of the short trail. We unpacked our lunch, deli sandwiches with trail mix and apples, and ate by the cool water, along with schools of minnows and a particularly daring squirrel.

Angie Weiland-Crosby, a Naturalist, said, “in a world of constant change… I find solace in the trees.” The quote reminds me of the surprising quietness and peace surrounding the lake, even among hordes of other hikers. Many of you can likely have a few favorite places you find peaceful, whether they’re favorite spots in your house or simply being outside. I asked a few people about theirs. Marina Peng, a freshman at rowland hall said, “My favorite place is my room because it’s peaceful.” I also got several other answers, such as “(my) garden” from Sophie Zheng. Many people have favorite places that are meaningful to them, and each are different and unique. It’s easy to forget how nice it can be to find one of these spaces and take a break.

After our break we began heading back down the mountain, only stopping to take a picture in a sunny spot. We told a couple of incoming hikers about the moose including one young girl who made me smile, immediately running up the trail to find it, her concerned parents chasing after her. However long it takes to hike up a trail, the way back always seems to be even faster. Before I knew it, we were driving down the winding canyon on our way home. Almost everyone has a story like this, but in these times when it is encouraged to stay in your home as much as possible, the day takes on new meaning. Our surroundings can have surprising effects on us. It is a relatively unextraordinary day, and yet it stands out in my memory. Maybe it’s not as thrilling or unique as some of the stories you might see, but I think the experience is well illustrated by a quote from Isaac Newton: “Nature is pleased with simplicity, and nature is no dummy.”