writing center!!

to be continued

to be continued

to be continued

to be continued

to be continued

to be continued

"If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."

Before I moved, I used to sit on my roof at night to clear my head. The view was not anything special — I lived in the middle of nowhere — but it was mine. Nothing could compare to the feeling of sitting on my roof while the midnight breeze was blowing and all the constellations possible were visible. I think back to my roof often.

I think I often take for granted the beauty that lies before me. I — in my time there — did not appreciate Appalachia as much as I do now. In my life, I have lived in many places. Each place has truly been beautiful, and I can confidently say that.

In Appalachia, there was a creek that ran through my backyard. In the summer, I would sit in the grass and listen to the stream of water. I remember going on long walks. There was no service on my road so I’d take my old iPod and walk for hours. Honeysuckle was abundant in the bushes that lined the roads. Oftentimes, there was a dog I’d meet halfway through my walk that would follow me until we eventually reached his house again. It’s moments like these when I wish I would have stopped a bit more.

I have taken this with me as I moved. In Alaska, the sun never goes down. Everywhere I go, I am looked down on by towering mountains. Last August, I visited Seward. Seward is by far my favorite town. There is one particular hike that has always stuck out to me as one of my favorites. The mossy forest shades most of the hike and once you get to the end a small bridge peers over a calm river. When I went, the salmon had just finished their rush. Hundreds of salmon ended up in this small river. The sun shone off their scales and reflected on the water. There truly is no place quite like Alaska.

I think the most beautiful thing of all is people.

My friends are the most beautiful people I know. Katelyn is one of the most talented artists I know. She made a tea set for her pottery class and gifted me a flower teacup with a lady bug inside. She plays upright bass and watching her play is so special. Ivin is passionate about everything he does. I remember watching him play euphonium at the spring concert and it brought me to tears. There is something that radiates off of him whenever he plays music. He is going to go far and I can’t wait to see where he ends up. Addy has the sweetest soul. She is such a caring and compassionate person. She also is the most whimsical person on this planet. I love listening to her talk about her interests. I could listen to her talk about her favorite movies for hours. Zoe is the sun personified as a person. She is so supportive and very skilled in everything she does. I watched her perform Across the Universe by the Beatles in May. I cannot explain how insanely talented she is. Her voice is beautiful. Leo is a photographer. He is a very thoughtful and an intentional person. He captures such beautiful moments. Dylan gives the best advice. In any situation, I could trust him to have the most logical but understanding perspective. He is also cool as shit! — Snoopy and Twin Peaks for life bro.

Connor is almost indescribable. His laugh is contagious and can be heard from miles away. Jolliness radiates off of him. He is very generous and is willing to do almost anything to help another person. I admire that about him.

I don’t think anything can compare to the beauty of people.

to be continued