The mountains are always there. In the north, bearing witness to the sun’s journey every dawn and every dusk. No matter how much I forget about them or how caught up with work and life I am to notice, they are there, unwavering, unopposed, and unphased by life’s tribulations. Then on days when I am the most stressed and wound, they demand to be seen, and when I turn to them they let me rest my anxious soul, lending me some strength to go on, one day at a time. I first moved here when I started my undergrad, and the mountains to the north of campus where what first captivated me. Sure, the university has its own share of breathtaking sights in buildings and ponds and trees, which have their own share of my heart, but it’s the mountains that really holds its throne. The rest of the town is beautiful in its own right. There are countless cafés that were home to many hours of caffeine fueled cramming. One can walk or take the bus just a little further to the downtown area and be enveloped in an aura of antiquity by the faded colored bricks that line restaurants and office buildings. It is here that this seemingly suburban town shows as much bustle and vigor as it’s neighboring urban city. This doesn’t last for many blocks though, as one can escape, once again, to the serene small town by passing the library. This dichotomy of atmospheres in such proximity truly give this city a wonderous vibe as if it was beckoning to be explored. With this, it is easy to create many a cherished memory, each in association with a certain part of town. Whether it is walking past the rusted swings in the park with friends after an all-nighter or running through the busy downtown to catch the movie in the fancy theater for which the university provided tickets. Alas, it is also home to many harsh memories, as all places are bound to be in life. The ponds, in particular, can be a rather fitting place for reflection as well as crying sessions at two in the morning in the middle of an existential crisis. The latter of which, I have more experience in. While watching the turtles and ducks and insects live out their lives, each with some contribution or role, I couldn’t help but wonder about my own sense of purpose as I struggled to navigate this mystery called life. So, I walked past the pond, and past the park and little houses that scream of suburbia, until I reached a main street. It was then that sun shined its brilliant rays atop the palm trees, painting the sky along the way, and as I looked up at the sunrise, I realized I was walking north. Sure enough, they were there, as they had always been. The sturdy overbearing mountains grazed the hazy blue and yellow sky more than any building in the horizon, and as if speaking without words, stirred in me my sense of perseverance.
