Balance

There’s a great spot on the senior patio where, if the sun is shining at exactly the right angle, you can lie down and enjoy the perfect balance of light and shade. The best time to do this is during a morning free period, when most students are still waking up, and the school is silent enough that you can hear the gentle trickling of the often-ignored rock fountain. Yes, I am recommending that you lie on the floor, and yes, you’ll likely attract some confused stares- but trust me, the spot is worth it.

Today, I laid in what I’ve begun to consider “my spot” for almost an hour, luxuriating in the unusually tranquil sounds of the Poly ecosystem under thes myriad stresses of AP week. As I closed my eyes, I came to a simple realization: I love this spot. I love that, when I lie here, my mind travels beyond the banalities of my life in suburbia, and I’m free to wander into a more interesting existence. Paradoxically, I also love that this spot makes me appreciate those aforementioned banalities- my quietly loving friends and family, the comfort of a familiar environment, the feeling of erstwhile security I so often take for granted.

This spot is both extraordinarily private and immensely public; while any passerby can see my outstretched form, my innermost thoughts remain visible only to myself. I am surrounded by people but am, in a sense, completely alone.