Way it Goes

Another month has come and gone, all of a sudden it is almost the middle of February 2023. It still seems so recent that we were just incoming freshmen in August of 2022, and not that long before that we were graduating in May and June. Life feels so overwhelming at times that it is difficult to step back and see things in a positive light, as if externally aware. Sometimes we can all use a little help with that, that’s the way it goes. 

One of the incredibly unique things about winter in the United States is that the moon is visible far earlier than during the other seasons. This picture, taken around 2pm, depicts an easily seen moon above the silhouette of the tree against the clear blue sky. Having this experience during the day makes the moon that much more impressive; the sun is bright enough to reflect off of it, but the cycles the moon undergoes allows us to see the reflection rather than it being reflected away from us. Likewise, I think we go through certain phases where we don’t fully see ourselves, and then others where we see straight through to the point we question whether the previous phase even happened. Winter is not my favorite season, no, but I think it brings more opportunities for reflection than most seasons do. 

The last few days have been rather shitty, from congestion to headaches and more work than seems manageable. But as I watched this squirrel frolic around in the grass, running, climbing, jumping, twisting, and eventually making his way up the tree, I realized that being overwhelmed is entirely a human condition. A rodent that weighs maybe 2 pounds, at most, scavenges for food nearly everyday as the winter draws to an end, but doesn’t let the unbearable routine stop him from enjoying simple things like playing and running around in grass that reaches his shoulders. So why should I, a much more intelligent and capable being, feel so constrained by the life that I am experiencing? Is it not my responsibility to ensure that I am enjoying the little things too? So I opted to sleep in until 11 when I had  class at noon, soaking up as much drowsiness as I could, after which I went to my classes and finished my homework. Then I went to bed early, read a few chapters in my most recent book, and fell asleep at around 10:30, astoundingly early for a college student! But that’s what it can take to relax; have a seat, watch a squirrel, read a book, go to bed early.