Nature Brings Peace :)

This past weekend, I drove to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville to visit my best friend. The trip was only a few hundred miles from Fort Worth, yet the landscape felt entirely different. As soon as I crossed the Arkansas state line, I felt a shift in my emotions. The first thing I noticed was the trees. They were lining the highways, in endless clumps along hills and around water. In Fort Worth, the land often feels open and flat, and it is either a long stretch of dirt or a construction zone. In Arkansas, the scenery feels enclosed, but it is wrapped in greenery, and as you drive, you uncover more nature. The drive itself felt calming. I rode with my sunroof open and the windows down for the majority of the drive, letting myself look around and enjoy where I was. 

Walking around Fayetteville, I kept noticing differences. The plants were diverse and not as curated as the TCU gardens. Our gardens are beautiful, but I liked seeing the natural state of cacti and other plants being together on the sidewalk. Even the light filtered differently through the trees, offering more shade than I could expect in Fort Worth. There was an overall softness that I really appreciated. The town moved at a different rhythm. People dressed differently, spoke with accents that sounded familiar to me, and carried themselves with ease. Slight difference from Fort Worth, where we all come from different places that carry unique accents and move with slight urgency. 


I was born in Arkansas, and being back there felt grounding in a way I did not expect. The week before the trip, I had been overwhelmed with stress. As soon as I crossed into the state, looking at the trees and rivers, I felt my mind clear up. The landscape itself seemed to quiet my mind. My sister and I talked about this on my drive back to school on Sunday. We both realized how connected we feel when we are surrounded by nature. When I am in DFW, I am surrounded by buildings, highways, and constant movement. I have not taken a real break in a while, and I think I forgot what it feels like to be immersed in green space. In Arkansas, I felt present. I paid attention, and I felt like I could just exist without worrying about studying or looking at deadlines. 


I have always thought about career opportunities and city life first - probably because I have been in Dallas for eight years now. But being back in Arkansas reminded me that environment shapes more than scenery. This class has helped me focus more on being intentional and mindful of my surroundings, and I am starting to think more about where I want to be after graduation. 









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