9-16-19

5:28 pm- 6:37 pm

I struggled in choosing the right spot for my journaling. Being a commuter student gives me the opportunity for many locations but also fuels the difficulty in picking the best spot for myself. My first instinct was to find a spot off the Hollins campus. I thought of my backyard, my neighbor’s backyard, my local park, but none appealed to my curiosity because they are so familiar. While parking my car in East, after thinking all week about the spot, I noticed a little nook off the left of my parking space. As I walked over to this area I was filled with questions and came to the happy realization that I had found my spot.

I consider myself a busy minded person, always planning my next task and moving to it. So, to say that the first 15 minutes were difficult for me is an understatement. It wasn’t until my eyes began to take in each of the trees in front of me that I was able to zone in. Directly in front of me stood a large, thick tree which divided into two large branches as it grew up. It was a strong, mighty tree surrounded by a variety of slender trees. They almost seemed to be guarding the stream that rested behind them. I felt included in their mighty task after looking up to see the canopy of their branches and leaves that shaded me. The floor around them was decorated in their beautiful leaves that were freed by the shaking of the sporadic breezes. Though I could not smell the breeze because of my current allergies, I imagined it smelled fresh and was filled with the aroma from the fallen leaves. In the midst of these brave trees stood a few that had died but still stood among the others. I decided to relieve my feet of my uncomfortable shoes and let them rest in the soft uncut bed of grass beneath me. A few feet to my left the grass was so long it had woven itself together almost creating a look of wool.

My focus on the soft grass bed was broken when round balls came flying to the ground around me. I realized that I had been joined by a few squirrels who didn’t seem thrilled to have me in their space. The round things are familiar to me. My friends and I always called them “stink bombs” because they would make your hands smelly if you touched them. However, I’m not sure what they’re called. After the interruption, my focus stayed on the squirrels and followed one out to a branch where it spread its limbs out to take a short nap as if to signify it had been an exhausting day of work. I’ve never witnessed a squirrel do such a thing and found it very enlightening.

Pulling my eyes down from the snoozing squirrel, I was amazed that I had failed to notice the four stalks of bamboo standing next to me. They were very green, so I assume they were young stalks still growing. Next to them was a beautiful plant with small yellow flowers that weighed down its ends. The plants leaves had been someone’s meal and the happy bees were enjoying the yellow garnishing on the plant’s ends. I’m not sure what plant it was but I look forward to finding out. As I studied the bright colored flowers I was surprised by a little “hopper” friend. He welcomed himself right on to my journal and before I could say hello he was gone in a flash.

Due to getting a later start on my journaling, the evening breeze began to pick up and the sky began to fade slightly. Birds started conversing on all sides of me. They made sounds mimicking car alarms and lawn mower motors. My squirrel friends began opening their nuts I had watched them find. Their teeth made a scraping noise on the nuts that until now I had always mistaken as squawks. I grew a smile as I heard my favorite sound, cicadas off in the distance.

As the crickets began their song, I found myself becoming chilled and growing restless. I knew my time was almost expired, but I relished in the peace of my surroundings. The clouds who had been present all day seemed to join hands to cover more of the sky. As I packed up my things, I told my new friends “until next time” and closed the chapter on my first sit-spot experience.