Memory Trail

Earlier this week I carpooled to campus with my boyfriend.  After dropping me off near my class he went to find a parking spot.  He ended up having to park by the Valley’s, close to the intramural fields.  Since I got out of class before him I was going to get his car and pick him up over at Brown since I had time to kill.  Cutting through the Health Center’s parking lot, I started walking down the hill.  Western has a section of land where they have mostly kept untouched.  The trees had gorgeous leaves on them and the ground in between the trees was littered with fallen leaves.  I smiled and breathed in deeply.  This part of campus was still in autumn.  Even though it was a little cold all around me was evidence of my favorite season.  This was a walk I had done numerous times last year and it brought back memories.

Last year I didn’t start using this trail till the winter, not realizing it was there till there was snow on the ground.  I had trudge across the back of valley pond inserting my boot prints among the many that were there.  I witnessed the pond freezing over and thawing as spring crept in.  The spring time is where most of my memories are.  Walking down the hill I looked ahead.  The semi circle of pine trees with cement blocks brought back a specific memory.  A good friend and I walked down there one evening as it was starting to get dark.  To understand the significance some background on our relationship is needed.  We became good friends though our boyfriends, who had been best friends for years.  We always hung out with each other with a group of people and never really alone minus a few lunches together in the cafeteria.  This was our first time hanging out actually alone without people around.  That sounds lame but it was.  We had walked over the bridge and went to sit beneath the pine trees.  We discussed many things, or in other words had girl time.  We opened up to each other sharing personal thing that shall remain private.  We are great friends now and that night really defined our friendship.

Walking past those pine trees I came upon the bridge.  It was new!  I remembered walking over it last year always slightly afraid I’d step right threw a board.  I stood here 8 months ago feeding the geese and fish.  Me and my boyfriend had wrapped a few pieces of bread in napkins from the cafeteria and walked them down.  We stood leaning over the railing tosses ripped bread pieces into the lake.  There was a ton of fish and they swarmed together whenever something hit the surface.  There was a couple bright orange fish among the multitude of dark colored fish.  Then there were a couple new boards among the old boards.   Walking over it I was glad of the change and I passed by a girl looking into the water and I smiled.  It is the simple joys of seeing fish swarm together or remember a good time that can put a smile on my face.  Those things are the joy of living and are the moments I love having.