Summer is on its deathbed and birds are chirping cheerfully every morning. We are now entering the beautiful season of fall when leaves become fire and air turns to ice. Now with the end of summer, school begins, I myself have recently started college.

As I’m walking to class, I find myself listening to music more often than not. The beat of each song reflects memories in my head and the lyrics are a story deciphered. But today, of all days, I forgot my headphones and so I walked to class without the usual burst of energy that music provides me. Instead, I found myself listening to the sound of my footsteps against the cobblestones, to the gurgling creek, to the rustle of the leaves and to the melody of the wind in the trees. If anything this symphony energized me. It made me appreciate being here right now, surrounded by this beautiful thing we call life.

Nature itself is a kind of magic. We are constantly baffled by how it continuously evolves and adapts. It made me realize just how much one can miss out on by not truly being there. Music is a gift, but nature has its own ancient song, one that has lasted since the beginning of time and will last till we are no longer on this earth. So it’s important to listen every once in a while because you may just learn something about yourself. Whether you have an epiphany or just appreciate the world around you. It’s essential to disconnect every once in a while; to see the world in a different way, no longer influenced by the stream of opinions bombarding us at every turn. People should understand that with distraction we can ignore the world and life around us and thus lose just a bit of our humanity each time.

We have to learn to appreciate what we have as it can be lost so easily, seasons change, people change, and if we don’t pay attention we can miss these vital changes that should be treasured, not ignored. It can give you a sense of peace to stop and look at anything and everything around you. To stand still as the world spins and bustling crowds pass by is a gift, to listen to the rush of ideas and the rhythm of life. Right now life is passing by, we only get one life and we have to truly live it. So go out and enjoy yourself, laugh harder than you have in your life, go to a new place, meet new people. Find a way to listen to the world in your own way. It may not be as simple as taking out your headphones, or it could be even simpler. Whatever you choose, discover your way to live, your own manner of peace. If you can find that, you will be able to conquer anything in your path. Some days are just meant for serenity.

I hope you all find your own tranquility and way of life