Nature in the City

For Thanksgiving Break, my family and I went to Memphis, TN to spend time with family friends. Originally, I was saddened to learn that I was not spending the perfect days of fall at my home in Kansas City. Because the leaves in Texas are never quite the vibrant colors of yellow, red, and orange, I look forward to returning home during Thanksgiving to drive down my neighborhood road which features a canopy of large, colorful leaves that are enjoying their last days before winter.

            Our family friends recently moved to an apartment in the city which I assumed would give Thanksgiving a different feel this year. As we arrived in Memphis, we drove by endless dilapidated stores and gas stations. It felt like the city was losing its soul, lacking life or color. It was as if I was trapped in a concrete jungle.

            We made it to our friends’ apartment, parking the car and taking the elevator to the 10^th floor. As we rang the doorbell and were greeted with hugs, my eyes were immediately drawn to the other side of the apartment. The whole side of their living room was a window that had a balcony with a stunning view.

            For the rest of the break, I found time to read and relax out on their balcony, enjoying a stunning yet not overwhelming view. The irony of this particular sight was that most apartments in a city are cherished for their view of the skyline, yet this view was directed away from the city and towards the suburbs. Any commercial development was concealed by full-grown tree after full-grown tree that was some variation of green and yellow. The ability to look down upon nature as it grows within the outskirts of the city was such a unique point of view. The various colors of trees were almost dots on a canvas that stretched for miles upon miles. Although Thanksgiving in the city is not quite the same as home, I was grateful for the opportunity to look down upon nature that thrives in places that you would never expect.