The dark winter has passed.
The icy, snow-covered bark has begun to thaw, giving life a new meaning. The tree’s branches, which were once cramped and frozen, seem to stretch out after being cooped up from a long, drawn-out winter. New buds begin to bloom, allowing fresh, vibrant colors to coat the tree branches.
The dreary, barren landscape that accompanies winter often leaves me feeling drained and desolate. My sophomore year can be described as feeling like winter. It was cold, sorrowful, and filled with memories tinted to a dark shade of gray.
I entered my junior year full of hope. The grass was becoming greener each day, and I was ready to begin my first year as an upperclassman. As each day passed, the birds began to chirp more, and the trees became a vibrant shade of chartreuse. Flowers began to bloom, casting their unique shapes, colors, and scents out into the world. The landscape that surrounded me was no longer somber.
As the air began to warm, I became rejuvenated and filled with the prospect of new, happier beginnings. My mind was no longer a cold, unhappy place; it morphed into a beautiful place, the mind of a girl content with her circumstances.
Slowly but surely, the snow began to melt, making way for new life to sprout. Room for countless memories was made. As the grass began to regain its color, the plants began to bloom, and the ground began to thaw; a new era was born.
The memories of my junior year are not tainted by desolate times; rather, they are bright and colorful, filled with life. Moments of my life are captured and intertwined in the fibers of a seed and blossom into something unique and colorful.
I walk through a garden of different flowers and plants, each holding a memory. The scent, color, and design of each piece of greenery perfectly resemble a moment in my junior year.
I pass a flower with flecks of shimmery blue and a thick brown stem. As I take in the scent of the flower, I am brought back to the times I spent at the barn. As I walk through the big gray doors, a scent most find foul, but I find comforting wafts through and hits my nose. Sometimes, I wish I could bottle the smell so that whenever I need to feel at peace, I can open the jar and inhale. Time at the barn is filled with so much and nothing at the same time. I spend time gabbing with friends about the randomest of things. We walk through the dusty halls filled with horses and share our secrets and innermost thoughts. On the days when the heat is smothering, we will sometimes go outback and ease our thirst by drinking from the hose. Eventually, I will brush the dirt off my horse and tack him up for a ride. I go through my usual warm-up routine, and each day a new goal is set in mind, so I will begin to tackle that and each issue that arises along the way. Times spent at the barn are some of my most cherished moments.
I continue to walk through the garden and stop at a bright green shrub. The shrub holds memories of my spring break. I reminisce over one of my best friends and I, galavanting through the great state of Texas. We encountered many things on this trip, including a stop at a world-renowned rest stop, Buc-ee’s, attempting to skimboard on the beach, having our first-ever 7-Eleven slushies, and playing card games on the pullout bunk bed. A smile is brought to my face as I think about this time.
I walk by a towering tree with leaves the shade of mulberry, and I see bright purple plums hanging on the branches. I pick a plum off the tree and take a big bite into it. Instantly, the sweetness of the plum overwhelms my taste buds, and I am transported back to one of the most surreal nights of my junior year. Two close friends and I got ready in the confines of a hotel room. Our clothing all had pops of purple tying us together and splashes of black and silver sequins. We waited outside the doors of the Little Caesars Arena, shivering in the brisk, cold air as we waited our turn in line. Finally, we made it inside. I was hit with a rush of adrenaline as I anticipated the prospect of seeing one of my favorite artists, Olivia Rodrigo, live on her Guts World Tour. Everything about that night was perfect. I scream-sung so loud that after the concert was over, my voice was only a mere croak. The music was so loud that afterward, everything was muffled, and it sounded like the world was underwater.
I continue on and eventually pass a flower resting beside a stream. The colors of the flower resemble that of a rainbow. As I study the intricate petals, I remember a moment filled with laughter, sunsets, and Culver’s. One of my best friends and I sat in a car overlooking the sunset as planes flew by. We ate our Culvers and played some of our favorite songs for one another. The car was filled with the sound of a multitude of different artists, our laughter over irrelevant things, and two voices discussing various life topics.
I walk by countless plants, most bringing a smile to my face, some bringing tears, and others causing anger to bubble up inside of me.
The seasons will continue to pass by. There will be desolate times, times where there is no light that can be found, but the seasons will always end and make way for a new chapter. Seeds have been planted. These seeds will grow into something more beautiful than can be imagined. They will morph into countless memories, and once the flower is finished capturing a moment in time, it will send off new seeds into the air, making way for new memories.
