I walk inside my house, exhausted from a great day, to find my father grilling kabobs and Mexican Corn on the deck while my brothers set up the table that resides outside. I had spent the day off-roading in my friend, Kirsten’s, Jeep with the top down to a hidden lake, where we swam for hours. On the way home, we found a farm, where we pet horses before returning home. Most of the fun in this came from the spontaneous act. By the end of the day, my skin was tan and my heart was happy - visible from the grin on my face that would not fade.

I walk inside my house after a long day of school, filled with tests and hard work. I put on my coat and boots to take my dog, James Franco, on a walk through the woods. She leaps all the way up to my waist in excitement as I reveal the harness to her. As I walk, I admire the beautiful oranges, reds, and yellows above me. A big gust of wind blows the remaining leaves on the trees in a spiral to the ground where they will remain until they slowly decompose. Continuing my thoughts with my movements, I think about all my schoolwork that needs to be done before I can carve pumpkins with my family tonight, or even just relax. Because school is just starting up again, I feel stressed and as though I am only going through the motions, allowing school to take over all my days.

I have left the security of my home and I am now on top of the world! With my cousin, who also happens to be my best friend, beside me on the lift, I feel content. I look around to see miles of snow-covered mountains, treetops, and houses down below. As I descend the mountain, the grin on my cheeks only grows. The zig-zag ski marks on the slope behind me demonstrates my experience level and all the hours I have spent strapped into my skis. Once I  reach the trick park, I make the absolute most of my moments in flight before going back to the ski lift line for another round.

I hurry home from school in attempts to beat the sun. I meet my mother, who is now elbow deep in a bag of mulch, on the deck. I align the plants with the pots and begin loosening the roots as she fills the pots with first rocks, then soil. Once all the flowers are potted, we pour a cup of water into each and put a pot in each corner of our rusty brown platform deck. We end this with a high five to celebrate our successes.