Journal Entry #2


Throughout our area within North Texas, we don’t often see any sort of mountainous landforms or any thing with real elevation for that matter. The flat plains of our surrounding area are pretty common and provides little variety. Usually, I never even think twice about it in my day to day routine and observations. However, I had the opportunity to visit Fayetteville, Arkansas over the past weekend and truly see what a variety in landscape actually looks like. The rolling hills and mountains of Devils Den provide some perspective into what we’re missing. Hiking through the park I felt quite small in comparison to the scenery all around me, not to mention out of shape as well. Hiking and walking around the trails allow me to have a change in perspective which is often needed. I sometimes get so consumed with what is directly in front of me that I miss the view of the bigger picture. By attempting to conquer the task that is in my direct focus, I often forget to enjoy those around me and what’s around me. I few times during our hike, I paused to sit for a minute and reflect on my gratitude. Having the opportunity to explore new places that are foreign to me, experience new things outside of my normal routine, all while being surrounded with people that support me is something to be thankful for. Changing my mentality and shifting my focus in times of self-discovery allows me greater insight into my role and how I fit into the world around me.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Journal Entry #8

Every year during the Summer, I go up to a little town in Illinois and spend a couple weeks with my family in a cabin on the lake. The weeks are filled with fishing, horseback riding, long walks and catching fire flies with little cousins at night. The cell service is limited, and I don’t bring any work to do or things to complete. It’s within those weeks that I feel my most center and at peace with the world around. My favorite part of the trip is always the horseback riding. Despite the stereotypes that come along with living in Texas, horseback riding is not a norm in my daily or even monthly routine. However, it is something that I enjoy doing that lets me disconnect and recharge. Some think that horses at the stable are large and intimidating, however I find them calming and soothing. They are the gentlest animals I’ve ever interacted with; even more so than my own dogs sometimes. Additionally, there is an immediate sense of respect that comes along with them. We take them out fo...
Read more

Journal Entry #9

Image
Our canoeing excursion was one of my favorite days of the semester. I had not been canoeing since I was in grade school. The last time I went canoeing was with my grandpa when I was probably 10 or 11 years old. It brought back a lot of old memories from when he and I would go out on the water together and spend hours out there. This was a great break from the routine of being a full-time student and the day to day monotony that comes with that. I think every student in our class had a smile the whole time we were out there. It is important that we are able to find the joy associated with being in nature and the environment around us. Experiencing nature is more than just going outside, standing and observing. Doing activities that require you to be outside, not only increase your overall awareness of the natural world around you but creates an association of entertainment and the natural environment. In doing this, people are more likely to go out and interact with their environmen...
Read more

Journal Emtry #12

Our discussion of Ackerman and her piece Why Leaves Turn Color in the Fall provided thoughtful conversation about the balance of science and human story telling. Honestly, I have never read a piece that offered such a great balance of the two components. I feel as though I often read excerpts that are one or the other and I don’t take away as much. When an article is purely science and fact based, I think the reader can lose focus of the article, despite the important message it supports. However, when excerpts are purely memory reflection, the reader often loses the technical support of the scenario, and depending on the issue being discussed, not fully understand the gravity of the topic. While Ackerman discusses the falling of leaves and the seasonal transition, she was able to make the science of the topic relatable for the reader by incorporating the memories of children and playing in leaves. In doing this, the reader is more likely to make a connection to the piece with memori...
Read more