A Park. . .and Recreation

Current music selection 

August & Everything After via Counting Crows

Current state of mind 

Passionate. 

Current thoughts

Life has a funny way of passing quickly if you aren’t careful. Today I have been completely enveloped with appreciation at the brevity of human existence. . .of one human life. I have been thinking about the sum of my life thus far; I can be fully honest in saying I’ve led a satisfying life up to this point. I’d really enjoy continuing this trend into my present and future. That being the case, I have decided to dedicate more of my time to myself and less to others. Selfish? Partially, yes. But this selfishness also favors other’s well-being: in caring for my own passions and tending primarily to my own needs, I will be able to give myself more fully than I have in years--my better and more authentic self. 

This past week I’ve spent plenty of time at the park; specifically the Rupert Square. A large percent of my time at this park was reserved for reflection. Reflection is an activity I deem necessary for a healthy conscience, world-view, and general positive mentality. This deliberate self-assessment gives me an updated window into my needs for contentedness, allows me to calibrate my goals and, consequently, aids me in staying on task.  

Approximately fifteen feet from the Rupert Square, in plain sight of the park, there resides a small town monument: the Wilson Theatre. The breathtaking Wilson theatre was built in the 1920’s and jazzily adorned with a complex style no longer seen in most modern constructions. 

A legitimate sight for sore eyes is it not?

Transport me to the 1920s please.

This building is all too enticing. 

An inner view.

The powerful structure's entrance.

Daytime park findings:

I am very fond of this tandem seating arrangement. 

I treasure the simple, but pleasantly placed detailing. 

My birthday year, along with an affectionate message inscribed in stone. 

Nighttime park life:

Single bulb lanterns lit our after-hours swinging. . . straightaway I remembered my love of swings and the breeze that accompanies one in use. 

I love fountains--always have. I noticed Rupert Square has a fairly handsome fountain in it's park; however, upon closer evaluation of the water, I also noticed it was a shocking brown hue. Even so, the dark of the night hid most of the contaminants; for that reason, the water’s sparkle in the dim lighting still held appeal. 

A little bit of park waterworks

Even in small towns there are genuine gems to behold. I do not always have my camera in hand; as a consequence, some images I am fortunate enough to observe are not visually recorded. And even when these scenes are archived, a camera lens will forever be limited in it’s ability to fully translate the aesthetics of any given situation. Knowing this makes me all the more thankful for my own intimate involvement in the outside world. It’s as though certain experiences were made for my eyes only. . .for me to drink in and solely appreciate: a dove resting high in a tree with branches that are disproportionately illuminated at dusk, a squirrel noisily crunching a fast food wrapper on a park garbage can, my cats’ excited trot to my feet as I greet them after my return home, my cats’ fervent look of devotion and warmth when I sing their names, the water vapor that comes from my coffee mug in the early morning hours while I read in bed in an attempt to wake fully. These and countless other moments are all for me, and when I recognize a moment that I should value and soak in entirely, I usually close my eyes and send up a “Thank you” to our creator. Life is a blessing. So, when it’s good. . .enjoy it. And when it is bad. . .know ‘this too will pass’.  

XOXO