Evening Walk

          This evening in Fort Worth was absolutely gorgeous, so I decided to take a walk around my neighborhood, just South of campus near Bluebonnet Circle. I put in a podcast and began my walk. It finally feels somewhat like fall, even though they project that the temperatures will climb back up within the next few days. This short glimpse of cooler temperatures is what encouraged me to get outside more in the past few days. Every year I can always tell when fall starts. There is a certain tint in the sky that screams it. It’s not that the sky is a different shade of blue, but rather it seems to be more “crisp.” If that makes any sense. The sun doesn’t beat down so hard on the creatures below. It seems that fall in Texas consists of only a few days like this, then we are bombarded with our form of “winter.” Every year I feel like I miss these few glorious days of mild, comfortable temperatures because of some obligation that I consider “important” at the time. This year I have decided I will take a few grade points less if need be and enjoy this brief period. This is the first round of milder temperatures we have had since spring, so the trees haven’t quite caught on to the coming changes. Their leaves still shine bright green. I’m hopeful for the one day out of the year that I will walk to class and notice the fall foliage, but that day may not come. It almost seems that every year we get one cold burst and the leaves fall off the trees overnight. I continued on my walk for about an hour and found myself at my front porch, relaxed and actually ready to tackle some homework that is due. As I mature as a student I find that you are ultimately more effective and efficient if you take these breaks to destress and not think about your studies once in a while.

            After my walk I was inspired to look up Thoreau quotes about autumn. I found one that relates shockingly well to my observations of the sky during my walk. Thoreau in Autumn wrote, “I am struck by the simplicity of light in the atmosphere in the autumn, as if the earth absorbed none, and out of this profusion of dazzling light came the autumnal tints.” I think Thoreau was making the same observation as me, but put it into his own words that read better. Afterall, that is why he is the famous writer. I look forward to journaling more, and then going back to reflect on writings that pertain to my observations. I find it extremely relaxing to read environmental literature about seasons, places, and things that I myself have witnessed in nature.