Cards

Cards are something near and dear to my heart. Growing up, there was always a card game (and a puzzle) in motion at my Grandparents house. My Grandparents used to travel cross country every Summer for months at a time, and they always carried a deck of cards on them. 
But that's not all. 
They also carried nickels or other coins on them, to gamble with (naturally). It came to the point where everyone on my dad's side of the family had their own labeled medicine bottle with nickels inside to gamble with. I think the best part about this was that it was never competitive. No one was ever a sore loser or a gloating winner. No one was discouraged when they would lose money or get big headed when their jar was full. So far, in my experience of playing cards (or any game for that matter), this was the only group of people I could play competitive games with it somehow being noncompetitive. It truly makes the world of a difference and makes the game far more enjoyable. 
Over the past four years or so, cards have become all the more important to me. My mother, Grandma and I got into the swing of playing cards together every Sunday, for hours on end. We became such a tight knit trio that it felt strange any time an additional person would join us. It came to the point that I would drag mother to my Grandma's at least once or twice a week just to play cards for a few hours. It became a time of refuge. Somewhere I could escape to when I was having a bad day or tough week. Somehow being able to spend that time with my mom and Grandma relieved all my worries. There were many evenings that we would get so engrossed in the game and fail to notice that it was midnight. 
Before I left to move to Idaho, my mom wanted to have a special dinner with my Grandma's over. All I requested to do was play cards. It almost felt like my last meal. I felt this compelling need to get as many card games in before I would have to leave. Now my Grandma asks me if I've played cards every time we speak on the phone. The answer is sadly no. I've played two card games since moving here. It is depressing, but it only makes me all the more excited to play when I visit home for Christmas. Regardless of how this post came out, it is not meant to be sad, just reminiscent.

Thoughts Provoked by Willow Trees

I have never been much of a writer. I've always done well on papers, but it has never been a real passion of mine. My writing only extends beyond school in journals full of venting often negative thoughts. However, I recently went to the Arboretum and was inspired to write while sitting under a willow tree. It was a absolutely beautiful Autumn day, 60 degrees with clear bright blue skies. A light breeze urged me to walk to the Arboretum, despite never have been there or having a smart phone to give me directions. Nevertheless, I found my way. I was so engrossed and taken back by the beauty around me that I was filled with this overwhelming urge to write aimlessly. So I did. I decided to make this blog because I wanted a place to share what I wrote, in hopes that my writing can somehow convey the incredible experience I had. It definitely does not do it justice, but I tried. 

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I am sitting beside a beautiful pond, surrounded by leaves and tall trees. I found a large willow tree to sit against while eating an apple and reading my book. The air is sweet, filling every breath I take with the calming and beautiful aroma of leaves. It is the same smell that kicks up when I walk through my Grandma's yard in the Fall. For as long as I can remember, I have never felt so at peace. Everything in my body and mind feel completely and utterly still. The wind seems to blow through the branches in slow motion, giving the illusion that the world has stopped and it is only me in this forest. It is so glorious and beautiful that I feel like I should cry from pure joy, yet I am too calm and happy to even do so much as that. 

I wander around, finding new and strikingly beautiful scenes everywhere I turn. I feel as though I want to experience reading under every tree I find. I do not want Fall to end, I want to spend every day exploring this beautiful world I have discovered. These trees have a way of making you feel special. They make you feel as though you've found your own private world, never touched or corrupted by other hands. It feels like a special secret shared between just you and the trees. 

When I first sat down, I had this overwhelming desire for someone to be a witness to the beauty with me. However, no one I know came to mind as the right person to share this with. This feels too intimate to share with friends or family. No, this is too special, too personal. It needs to be the right person, someone who would understand the way I feel and appreciate the trees with me. Someone who I can trust to share the trees and I's secret.