As I walked up next to the gigantic tree I thought to myself this will be my last time coming here to my reflection spot but then I quickly realized, NO, this is just the beginning of many more visits to this spectacular spot. I will be climbing up this tree many times when I need to get away from the stresses of day to day life. Each time I climb this tree, I am able to escape into pure happiness.
This third time climbing up into the tree was different. I was not having a stressful day, I was not worried about exams, and it was the most beautiful day outside. Not only were my emotions coming into this different, but my knowledge of my surroundings coming into this was different also. I found myself walking slowly down to the tree so that I could look up into the sky and try to identify the trees I passed by. I now find myself doing the same thing around campus also. Even during my reflection time I found myself just looking high above everything else to glance at the other huge trees all around. I would observe their leaves and bark and try to discern what else was around me that I had been missing out on all those earlier times. Climbing up in the tree the two previous times was a wonderful time for me. Both times allowed me to escape from the worries I had from that day but I almost used nature to hide. This time I used nature to just be free.
After I was up in the tree for awhile I realized I did not even think about the challenge I made for myself on that first day: trying to get higher and higher each time I returned. I was no longer worried about this challenge, it was no longer important. What was important was smiling, enjoying myself, and truly seeing my surroundings.
Looking out and seeing all of the different plants surrounding this great tree that I am in made me realize there are still so many types of vegetation I still do not know. My learning is not over; on the contrary it has just begun just like my time up in this huge tree with smooth sleek leaves and white flowers.