Peeling Oranges and Looking at the Moon

Often, we disregard the simplest delights in life. While flipping through old yearbooks from years long past (or so it feels), I stumbled upon a small scribble that a teacher wrote to me: “Ride your bike, but don’t forget to put the brakes on and enjoy the scenery every now and then.”

Sure, it may seem a bit cliché, but this metaphor captures the philosophy of what we ought do. However, most of us are victims to the same vicious cycle and what we ought do and what we do in reality can end up as two polar entities. When I was coming back from class a few days ago, I passed by Rockwell, a fellow dorm-mate of mine. He was walking up the icy path past Pettingill Hall on the first sunny day we had received in awhile. Although it was still negative Celcius degrees, the sun was out and when the sun is out – everything is good. I took a few moments to observe what he was doing. He had his head tilted back with his eyes closed for a few brief seconds. It looked as if he was actually basking in the sun with a smile on his face. In the middle of the day, it was such a pleasant thing to see. When I asked him what he was doing, he said: “I’m just so happy that the sun is out!”

Small things, small things.

Living out in Maine, pollution levels are extremely low compared to the city. I believe that Maine is actually one of the least densely populated states in America, probably second next to Rhode Island. As a result, the stars and constellations are vividly visible in the night sky. On nights where we have a full moon – much like tonight – it’s simply quite glorious. In the city, one does not have the privilege of seeing such a clear, night sky. During high school, I rarely had the time to really venture out at night to just look at the moon. Here at Bates, I have to walk back to my residence hall after a night of studying or talking with friends, so by default, I’ll have a few spare moments in my night to simply ponder at the sky. While it may seem a bit strange to appreciate such a common occurrence, it struck me that what we have in nature is so phenomenal. Have you ever wondered how it was possible for all this to come to be? While the Big Bang and other scientific evidences point towards a logical reasoning for our existence and an account for all the intricate patterns in the world, sometimes I just have to wonder if there’s more to life than just that.

As midterm season is approaching – my first midterm is tomorrow – I am finding myself enjoying very simple daily occurrences. I love peeling oranges. The fresh burst of citrus spritz when one peels part of the smooth skin away reveals such a soft and sweet fragrance and flavor underneath. I have also fallen in love with fireplaces. I can see why homes were built around the idea of a fireplace. In older homes, fireplaces were common in sitting and living rooms where families would gather at night to socialize, to play piano or to read. The fireplace represented a common center of warmth. While wooden log fireplaces may not be as commonly utilized in this day and age in comparison to electric fireplaces, the concept still stands. In Commons (our dining hall), we have a fireplace lounge where I often love to sit and spend time chatting away with friends. I have passed many an hour there with splendid conversation and laughs. Sometimes we don’t need to say anything at all.

So in case this was TL;DR, what I’m trying to say is: The simplest things in life are to be coveted. Enjoy them.

Oranges in Greece

As an aside, in a previous blogpost of mine, I mentioned that I don’t watch plenty of football. I received some feedback from a reader who reminded me that the BC Lions won the Grey Cup the previous year. They’re based in my hometown of Vancouver. He also mentioned that the Canadian football game is more rigorous and challenging in comparison to its American counterparts. After all, you do know that Canadians do it better – always!

P.S. Look out for an upcoming fashion blog that I am putting together with a few friends from Bates! Break is coming up soon and I’ll be heading to NY/Boston!

BIS,
M