I visited the Trinity River briefly before Thanksgiving break to explore and reflect. It was a beautiful, sunny day at the river, with perfect weather begging me to relax and bask in the sun. I walked along the river and eventually walked out on the rocks in the middle of the water. Standing on the large rocks in the middle of the quiet, simple beauty of the Trinity was extremely relaxing and surprisingly enjoyable. The sun was bright and shining on me as I let go of our stress for a few minutes to sit back and enjoy the little taste of nature. When I had to unfortunately leave to get back in time for class, I told myself that I should definitely come back soon
I returned to the Trinity in December ready to have the same experience that I had before. It was a completely different day however. The weather had begun to finally accept that it is winter and the clouds had covered the sun when I arrived. There was a slight wind and and outside was just an overall gloomier environment. I walked down to the rocks again and sat down on them at the center of the river. The weather change meant the rocks were no longer warm to the touch and as comfortable to lay down on. It was still peaceful to sit there, but in a different way. The cold air was invigorating and I left feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, but not quite as happy as I left the other day.
It was amazing how the weather change impacted my experiences on the Trinity. The different weather gave me completely different feelings while I sat by the river. The sunny day made me feel tranquil and put my mind at ease. The colder day rejuvenated my body and gave me energy to push through the next few weeks. In true Texas fashion the weather changed rapidly, and with it my experience with the Trinity River. I'm glad I chose to visit on these two different days, otherwise I would have only gotten one feeling reflecting on the river. I never really considered just how much weather can impact our experiences and change how we view a place and experience.
During my trips to the Trinity I had time to simply sit down, be quiet, and think. No distractions but the sound of water falling over the rocks. In college these kind of moments are few and far between. We are constantly with someone, talking about something, or on your way to the next class or meeting. Forcing myself to make time to go the river both of these days was more beneficial for my mind than I ever could have thought. As cliche as it sounds, reflecting on the Trinity gave me time to myself to sort through the many things currently on my mind. From lab finals to final presentations these last few and next few weeks are packed to the brim with things that somehow must all get finished. This time of year it is especially hard to make yourself stop and take a break from it all, and having to go the river gave me this break. Leaving campus just for an hour gave me a chance to back away from everything before jumping right back in with a clearer head.
During my trips to the Trinity I had time to simply sit down, be quiet, and think. No distractions but the sound of water falling over the rocks. In college these kind of moments are few and far between. We are constantly with someone, talking about something, or on your way to the next class or meeting. Forcing myself to make time to go the river both of these days was more beneficial for my mind than I ever could have thought. As cliche as it sounds, reflecting on the Trinity gave me time to myself to sort through the many things currently on my mind. From lab finals to final presentations these last few and next few weeks are packed to the brim with things that somehow must all get finished. This time of year it is especially hard to make yourself stop and take a break from it all, and having to go the river gave me this break. Leaving campus just for an hour gave me a chance to back away from everything before jumping right back in with a clearer head.
I am looking forward to more trips to the Trinity whenever I feel the need to get away and calm my mind down. As the semester winds down I will not forget the feeling the river gave me, and now I can match the weather to whatever I am looking to get out of the visit. Next May you might just find me back by the river trying my best to take a break from finals once again.
Sara, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this river reflection.I love how you contrast the drastic change in feelings that you had on the river at different times of the year. The pictures that you posted show the different moods that the river can give off. It is true that in college we are so caught up in our busy schedules that we rarely ever have time to ourselves. Reflecting on where we have been and how far we have come is important. Sometimes it seems as though we are merely trying to complete each task instead of enjoying each moment we are given. I am glad you took time out of your hectic week to reflect on life to give you a clear head! Hopefully during finals you will be able to have time to yourself to help clear your mind before you conquer all your tests!
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