((my swollen face AFTER taking medicine vs my regular face))This past weekend I fought a war. A war against an unknown food allergy, that is. On Friday night I enjoyed tasty pad thai at Pei Wei, and later I went to bed relatively early for a Friday night and did not wake up until 11 am Saturday morning. Maybe my long slumber was induced by what was happening to me: when I woke up my face had swelled like a hot pink balloon, my eyes were almost too swollen to open, and I had developed hives all over my body. This allergic reaction was considered an emergency, so I spent the afternoon observing the interesting patients who were waiting with me in the University Health Services building. After being drugged up on four different medications, my face promptly began to deflate. Although I do not want to have this very uncomfortable experience again, I found that for the first time since college started I was forced to relax, do nothing, and step away from the fast-paced college life. (Plus, I now have the added benefit of being less sleepy since some of the medicine I am taking acts like caffeine). I did exactly what Margaret points out that we all desire; I watched two movies, slept in, and even talked on the phone to friends I had not talked to in a while. Despite this upcoming week full of tests and projects and the “weight of those things I still carr[y]” (729), I find that my laid-back weekend was very de-stressing. Hopefully, though, I will not have to wait for another illness to give me the relaxation that I desire.
((my favorite spot to relax))The honors quad, for me, is an Eden here on campus where I notice myself relaxing and enjoying the beautiful weather. Just like Logan, I enjoy bringing a towel out onto the grass except I also bring a pillow for added comfort. As in the Kensington Garden poem, “in the lone, open glade I lie” and “hear at my feet what wonders pass” (739). The cool breeze and warm sun set me at ease while the occasional friendly passing person offers short study distractions. The quad, in fact, seems to embody the Kensington
((My pillow))Gardens exceptionally well since birds in the quad (rather than my alarm clock) that chirp outside my window have woken me up the past two mornings just as “birds make song”(739) in the garden. I believe that the quad represents exactly the kind of peaceful nature that college institutions need to offer. Indeed, who has a “better claim to the purest and fairest possessions of nature, than the seat of wisdom?” (315). And, this afternoon while I was reading the excerpts for this entry, I found that I would have lost track of time if not for the chiming of the Tower clock. In a sense, time stood still just as it did on the other side of the hedge.
Perhaps, as Kilkenborg says, it is in the “deep genetic memory of mankind” (722) to respond to nature with both relaxation and emotion. If so, it is very fitting for a garden to memorialize a tragedy such as the Tower shooting. Like John, I did not realize the original purpose of the garden until now. Knowing the significance and meaning of this scenic area of campus, therefore, adds to the layers of meaning I already bestow upon it.
For example, the Turtle Pond was one of the very first spots I was introduced to during orientation. On the second day of orientation programs, the School of Natural Sciences referred to the pond as a place where people go when they feel depressed or need to think. They proceeded to warn us that if we ever needed psychological help, other than the turtles, that we should contact Health Services. Thus, the Turtle Pond obviously represents more than just a natural area on campus. In that moment I was reminded that somehow nature and its beauty create a refuge from busy life and emotional problems.
((a turtle))The Turtle Pond has also surprisingly been an unexpected source of new friends for me. One evening towards the beginning of school I was strolling past the area and noticed some people feeding the turtles. That night I felt outgoing so I went over and joined them, and I ended up spending the entire evening with them. I think there is something about nature and especially animals that make everyone more inviting and more open. We “long to become the companion of the place, not its authority,” so places puts us in a welcoming and calm mood. And, if nothing else animals and nature are good conversation starters.
Whether it’s the calming aspects or the aspects that make us take our guard down, nature’s diversity seems to bring out essential human qualities. Taking a break from the day, visiting a garden, or perhaps meditating for a few moments in a room can move us toward our own Eden of relaxation.
