It is a beautiful day here in Prescott, Arizona. The sun is shining brightly, and it has been all week. The birds are chirping, the trees are budding, the flowers are blooming, and sundresses, shorts and sandals are popping up all over campus.
After 10 days in California for Spring Break, I experienced a lot of rain. I came home hoping for a little sunshine to help launch me back into classes, but it seemed like I brought the storm with me, but within a day, the sun started to break through the density of cloud, and I really started to feel the seasons transform.
Spring inspires a lot of things – cleaning, getting outside, and being especially social… There is just something in the air. I caught the spring sunshine flurry of excitement and immediately started to run again, clean up, get on top of my homework (in the midst of the great outdoors temptation).
It really got me to thinking… was my sprit of productivity a result of the changing seasons? I have felt so wonderful these past 2 weeks: so on top of my stuff. I really wanted to capture the essence of whatever was driving me so I could continue to hold on to, metaphorically, the sunshine even on the cooler days.
I really began to realize the power we each have over our disposition. See, last week could have been considered a not so great week. I had a series of fairly stressful and unfortunate events that could have really dampened my mood, but whenever anyone asked how I was doing, I could honestly answer, “Wonderfully, it is a beautiful day”.
It is getting to the almost 2 week mark of externally beautiful days… Kind of to the point where the oddity of leaving the puffy jacket at home has mildly worn off, and things start to seem like “business as usual”. In all honesty, I don’t want to go back to “business as usual”. I also don’t want to fall in to the trap of looking towards the summer and loosing the amazing moment and opportunity we have at this exceptional school.
I am writing this long winded reflection on the excitement of spring, mainly to say that the key I found to personally succeed here, is finding what makes you feel good, and productive, successful and happy, and hold that close. Keep it in mind, and find ways to insure you continue to carry that essence though your daily life. The power in finding the beauty in each moment, in each assignment, in each new nugget of learning helps carry each of us through the difficult moments that present themselves.
So while you may be getting ready for finals, or feeling the excitement of summer, or stressing about which school you think you would like to attend, start to look for the things that bring a smile to your face, and remind you that it’s a beautiful day.
-Hannah Jean Marshall
03/31/2011
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