Day 6 Blog

For the final time this quarter, I arrived to Washington Park on this cool Friday morning. The trees that were full of color and leaves merely two weeks ago were now mostly barren, their leaves strewn on the ground or blown away by the wind. Despite the lack of color on the trees, it was still beuatiful and brought a sense of peace being in this park that is now so familiar to me.

I walked on the lakeside path, enjoying the breeze and the sun gently brushing my skin. Looking back on this year, it is crazy to think how much has happened and how quickly it passed me by. Only a few months ago I was in Texas, a place I've known my whole life. Now, I am in a completely new environment and climate. At first, the change was somewhat intimidating, but once I embraced the unfamiliar, I have been able to truly appreciate how lucky I am to be in such a beautiful state and to be receiving an education. 

While admiring the trees lined on the lakeside path, I thought of how similar we are to the trees. In Cisneros' Four Skinny Trees, she describes four skinny trees surviving and staying rooted to the ground despite the harsh city conditions. Us humans are just like these trees. No matter what condition we're in, we are able to keep going by staying rooted to the ground and reaching up towards the sky. By not forgetting or letting go of my roots, I have the capability to thrive just like the trees. Grounding myself in thankfulness allows me to truly appreciate where and who I am now. 

When walking around the lake, I noticed how quiet the park was this morning. I have never been to Wash Park this early during a weekday. Every other time I went to the park it was bustling with families, couples, and individuals. While I did still see the usual people walking their pets or going on a run, it was much less people than the previous times I've been to the park. It was quite nice to experience the park less crowded. It brought me a sense of peace and made it the perfect environment for self-reflection. 

During my walk around the park, I noticed way more squirrels than usual. Perhaps it was the lack of people in the park that made them more brave to roam around so freely, or maybe I haven't paid enough attention before. Just like humans play with their friends, I saw many squirrels chasing and playing around with each other.  The Earth is their home as much as it ours which is even more reason to protect our home. 

With winter approaching, there was no water in these banks like their usually is. Just how people prepare for winter with our warm clothing, the people managing the parks have to ensure the park is ready for the cold to come as well. 

The fields in the park tend to be filled with people of all ages playing sports or having picnics, but because it was early in the day, the fields were void of people. It really put into perspective that nature is not dependent on humans, and it will always be filled with beauty no matter the season. This serves as a reminder that, just like nature, humans go through change, sometimes changes that make us feel alone, but there can still be beauty and ways to find hope through all these phases of life. 

As I began to make my way towards the exit, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the experience to get to spend time in this park. Nature, if treated right, will always be there for us to reconnect with our sense of self and serve as on oasis from the chaos that is life. Although this may be my last blog, I know this will not be my last visit to Washington Park!