TCU Sunset - Nature Observation 3

My whole afternoon, I spent sitting in a study room in the Scharbauer building. For hours upon hours, I stared intently into my notes, praying that I would remember the same information in a little under twelve hours. I had become so physically and mentally fatigued that I could not think or see without picturing my notes in my brain.

I continued to study for one more hour until I packed up myself and headed out the door for the BLUU for dinner. I hopped in the elevator and got off on the first floor. I turned out of the elevator and headed toward the front door. While I was putting in my headphones, I opened the door. My eyes immediately went from selecting my playlist to what was right in front of me.

The sky was a striking combination of red, yellow, and orange with a greyish sky slowly starting to engulf it. To go along with this sunset was a Frog Fountain freely flowing with the faint red lights coming from the base of the fountain. The lantern-like lights surrounded the outside of the Commons with the dark green filling the rest of the picture.

What was so striking to me was not exactly the sunset. I have been fortunate to see some pretty sunsets over my time especially at TCU. What I found so impactful was the timing of nature’s gift that I had just walked into. That whole day I spent almost no time outside. I was isolated from everybody and everything including the sun. When I walked outside, I realized that nature for me was more than something that I experienced every day. It was the breath of fresh air that gave me more than energy. It gave me life. I knew at that moment how much I missed and sorely needed the trees, the sun, the clouds, and the grass.

When I finally walked back into my room, my hope was that what I remembered from that day was not my Organizational Management leadership notes or how to create a balanced portfolio, but how much I need nature to keep me going and ultimately give me life.