The small things...

I think it's true what they say. As you get older, you learn to appreciate things that you may not have when you were younger. Now, I'm not sure if recent changes in my life have sprung this upon me, or if it truly does come with age. Either way, something inside of me has been searching for every detail on this earth that was previously overlooked. Every breath is taken with appreciation of the healthy life I was given, every conversation is remembered and valued, and every minute is spent looking around me as if someone is about to take me away from this moment. Nothing is more impressive to me than the beauty of nature. And I can tell you honestly that this has not always been important to me. Something over the last few months has forced me to take notice of these things and I'm glad it did. My favorite place to go in the city is to the lake, which is about 18 blocks straight east of where I live. Not only do I get to enjoy the long walk there, but once I arrive I instantly feel like I'm at home. I look out onto miles and miles of water as the sun shines down, causing a calm feeling to take over my body. This is the same lake I see from home, but there is a much different scene behind me. It's the best of both worlds; I can look out onto the lake and enjoy the serenity, and as I turn around I am faced with a world of skyscrapers and activity. It really cannot get any better.

As of right now, though, I am still at home. Every day I try to pack as much into these quickly passing hours as I can. I get out and walk mainly to enjoy the simple bustle that is seen in this town, and also to soak up as much of this fall season as possible. Nothing makes me happier than feeling a cool breeze on my face and looking at the trees as they change to their shades of orange and red. This is why fall is my absolute favorite time of year (not to mention it's football season and an excuse to eat everything pumpkin). I'm feeling ready, though. Ready to leave this place of security. Ready to walk in my apartment, by myself, and take a deep breath. The life I left there nearly 2 weeks ago is gone and will be replaced with a fresh one. As we all know, life throws things at us that we aren't necessarily prepared for. Because of this, I left a good amount of sadness and anger in the city, some of which trailed me home only to diminish shortly after my arrival. I was given a chance to realize that I've always depended on others for my own happiness, definitely not something I take pride in. I am standing on my own two feet now, no one else's. The space around me is empty and I feel as though I can breathe. Unfortunately, the rest of my feelings will not translate into words. The only translation I have is a smile. I will try to explain myself...another day. 

In the mean time, my new best friends are independence and happiness. They are willing and able to take me where I want to go.