One of the flaws that humans have involves the weakness of our senses. Namely, that after just minutes, we become acclimated to what is around us and our sensory receptors neglect to send the signal needed to make us aware of it. Have you ever walked into somebody’s house and been bombarded with the scent of a pet? Yeah, same concept: they don’t smell it anymore, but unfortunately, you do. This weakness, however, is not something I find fault with, as after just a few minutes of hearing the air conditioner buzz, I am no longer bothered by or aware of it’s murmur. This allows me to become enveloped in the silence of the outdoors. Out here, there is both much more life and much less activity; a concept that confuses me but that I am not able to think for long about because the glare of the sun distracts me. I pull my sunglasses down from the top of my head in order to cover my eyes, and rearrange the hairs not held back by my bun that made the journey with my Ray Bans, brushing them back out of my way. My arms are a bit stiff from laying there on the concrete, and I stretch, enjoying the transition from cold to warm in my elbows as the stiffness leaves and the heat of the sun is absorbed. I position my arms to cross behind my head and act as a pillow, and almost feel as though I’m at the beach, as opposed to at school. This is by no means the first time I’ve left class to relax somewhere on campus, usually preferring the quiet to calm myself. This is, however, the first time the teacher has approved of it, so I decide against letting this moment slip away. I watch as the mockingbirds- which humans are not to hurt, as they just bring music- chase each other around. The birds are fighting, maybe over food, maybe over there young, but regardless trying to rid the area of the other, yet the scene remains somehow peaceful. With the exception of the mockingbirds chirps and the wind, there is silence, and while the leaves above me to not cease to flutter, there is stillness. I have been provided with one of my favourite moments in life, the opportunity to not think, but watch. As my breathing slows to fall into place with the rhythm of the wind, I too fall into place with the world around me. The wind blows the shorter strands of my hair above my face, and I watch as one strand and then the next is hit by light in just the right way to make it shine golden. As the strands of my hair form a peaceful flame above me, moving in the wind and giving off their light, I watch. I direct my attention to the tree above as an ant- no, many, upon further inspection- goes about its day, bumping into various crevices on the branch above me. It stops briefly at a flower and wiggles its antenna at it, but then it continues heading down to the base of the tree and greeting other ants along the way. I almost feel bad about spending my time not working like the creatures around me, but watching the world go on. I don’t allow myself any room for feeling bad though, because it’s a beautiful thing, really. The world is a vast place, and it’s easy to forget that. It’s hard for one to step outside of themselves, but in a situation where you are not living but watching, as I am today, it is made easier. The sun shines on, the wind continues to blow, and the significance of anything, and everything, dwindles. Perhaps this thought would normally bother me, but with my current euphoric sense of tranquility, it doesn’t phase me. Instead, I’m comforted, if all else fails, I can do nothing, and the world will go on. I open my eyes, realizing that I at some point closed them to think. My purpose now is to do nothing but watch, so I let my eyes wander. There are lizards, those rad little dinosaurs, bathing themselves in the sunlight. They darken in colour in order to attract more light, and because I can feel the sun on my own back, I don’t blame them. They keep an eye on the birds, but in order to protect themselves, unlike me. I am here only to sit, and enjoy.