posted on Sep, 5 2016 @ 10:57 PM
The sky is clear tonight. What a beautiful summer night. Not much of a moon out, but the stars are beautiful. I look at the tree I am leaning on.
I think it’s a red maple, but I never paid too much attention in biology when we studied trees. It’s a shame though. Trees are really amazing.
Where would we be without them?
I remember the first time I saw one of those time lapse videos with plants growing. When the time is sped up, you can actually see plants spreading
their leaves, almost like they are stretching in the sunlight. Like humans that just live at an ultra-slow pace.
I wonder how old this tree is? Probably at least 50 years old. Is that even old for a maple tree? How many creatures has this tree been a habitat
too? It is incredible that I never think about how amazing life is. This one tree is such a complex beautiful piece of nature, and probably no one
ever takes time to just look at it. It’s sort of sad really.
I just get this feeling of ease looking out over the hillside. There are trees as far as the eye can see. It is amazing to me that there are people
that can’t just walk outside and see nature like this. This beautiful treasure is really only 5 minutes away from me pretty much every day. I am
so lucky to live here.
“Hurry up” I hear.
I just now noticed the crickets chirping. I never really listen to the world around me. Why don’t I just stop and enjoy this more often? It feels
so great, like this is what we are meant to do. I bet if we would just all be quiet and listen to nature a little more often, the world would be a
much better place.
Look at those stars. I always feel insignificant when I stare at them. Billions of stars with billions of planets that will live for billions of
years, and I am just one person on a small rock for less than a century. I told my mom that once, and she said it was depressing. But it’s not.
How bad can I really mess up when I am this insignificant? I mean, even if I let everyone I ever meet down, those stars will still be shining. I am
so lucky I get to see them.
Think of all of the amazing people that have looked at those stars. Is this what Van Gogh felt like when he was painting? Did Alexander the Great
ever just look at them?
The breeze is picking up. It smells like fresh cut grass. It reminds of something in my childhood. I don’t know what, but it just calms me.
Everyone always talks about all of these significant childhood memories they have, but I really don’t have any. I remember little things that
don’t make sense, like renting a movie one particular night, or a particular day when I went shopping with my family, but I don’t remember the big
things. Why is that?
“What’s the hold up?”
Somewhere, everyone I have ever met is under that sky. I used to stare at the sky when I was a kid. I loved birds. It wasn’t so much seeing them
up close, that never interested me. It was them flying. The black silhouettes in the sky. It just lifted me up. I made me short of breath in a
good way; made me think like I was meant to be something. I haven’t thought of that in years. Maybe I have a love for the sky that I have never
explored?
That’s what it is about this scene, it’s just so simple. No worrying about money, or jobs, or even relationships. Just me and nature. This tree
doesn’t care about my mistakes. These stars don’t even care that I am alive. It’s just a perfect moment. Why don’t I take the time to come
out here alone more often?
I used to spend summer nights under the stars. I swear that I am going to start coming out here more often. Just me and nature. I feel like a
weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. It really puts my life in perspective. I am doing alright. Heck, more than that; I am downright lucky.
I need to remember that. Life is good.
“Are you still peeing?” shouts my friend. “We are up at the beer pong table!”
I zip up my pants and grab my beer. One more win and we are in the finals. “Rack em up!” I yell as I head to the table.
What a beautiful summer night.