As I walked to the bus stop after leaving the gym, I peered up from my phone. The pinks, yellows, oranges, and reds danced in the sky as the sun was setting. The majestic green trees swayed in the breeze and Good Ol’ Phil the Ram stood proud on his rock. This moment took my breath away. I stood there in awe of the incredible scenery in front of me. I felt a ping of guilt because I knew I would have missed this moment if I did not take my head out of my phone. As I snapped a picture, I wondered to myself if I had missed anything else since my face always seems to be in my phone.
I knew then that I did not want to miss any more of these magical moments. As I sat on the Ram Van heading back to my dorm, I snapped a picture of Ravenhill Mansion. I marveled at the timeless architecture framed by the sherbet sky. I had seen the mansion many times and knew it was pretty, but I had never taken a chance to appreciate how beautiful our campus and the East Falls neighborhood really are. This evening lifted my eyes out of my phone, literaelly and figuratively. It is so easy to miss the little moments in life that could make our day sparkle. I tried to remember this feeling for along as I could so as not to take nature and our beautiful campus for granted.
A few days later I took a seat on a bench at the Tuttleman fountain. I just sat there and soaked in the sights and sounds of nature against the incredible pale pink sky. I am so thankful that I realized I could be more present in my day. I began to take a deep breath on the walks through the path and allow myself to enjoy the surrounding nature. My hope as I continue college is to take a moment each day and find gratitude in nature, our campus, weather, and everything that can go unnoticed but truly incredible.