I don't really know what to say for this. I didn't really get anything out of it other than being able to say hi to some dogs and reminisce on a walking path that I used to walk when I was younger. I had a stick to protect me from the spiders. I really did try to get something out of the walk.
To begin, I started my walk by going down to the dog park at the bottom of my street, without my father knowing, otherwise this project would not have even happened. I used to go down there when I ran away from home, as stupid as that is. So I recalled sometimes when I left my house and would sit down there and greet the dogs.
There is this really nice look out point there where you can see all of Kent. That was one of my favorite spots when I was growing up. Whenever I would go for a walk with my friends we would go and stay there for a while. There's also this nice random nasty pond that's right outside of the dog park. Since it was sunny, the water looked better today then I remember. Sadly, the big log of wood that would let you go from one side to the other was gone, so I couldn't go across.
My favorite hobby when it comes to taking pictures, is getting cool angles for the sun. My favorite one is making a cross out of it. It can remind you that God is in everything, even tiny minuscule things.
I was listening to Jesus Culture--my favorite group for worship music--and I listened to that while I went on the walk, attempting to "get into the spirit" but I found myself even more distracted and distressed because I was attempting for force myself to enjoy what was around me and seek meaning from it. Things are just there, I shouldn't have to force myself to see them.
So, I walked around the dog park, then took this hidden path up a hill, that takes you into a hidden path in the woods to the apartment complex down the street a ways. I used to take that path with my cousin a lot a couple years back. So I remembered those times. There used to be a bunch of gang signs on trees on the path, but I couldn't see any of them :( After I got to the apartment complex, I walked through the area and onto the main street on Military to walk back home. The walk was a lot shorter than I remembered it being.
My favorite thing about living where I do, is the view of Mt. Rainier. This was from the top of the hill of the secret path I have. Even though i wasn't able to "speak" with God, I saw him. But I always see him. I know and appreciate this stuff all the time. So, I wish that this walk had actually helped me to become closer to God. But I'm already at a point where I appreciate and know God, but... I don't know. Being forced to see God makes it harder to see God. I wish it wasn't.
Ahhhh, Leyla! I remember going down to that dog park with you! Good times, great memories of the old gang. Falling Faster, anyone? No? Hahaha... Anyways, I appreciate you not forcing meaning out of what's not there. It's so easy to fall into cheesy, Christian reflection that will superficially satisfy The Man. You did the assignment, you went on a walk, and the pictures were gorgeous. You are a very spiritually-minded girl, and I love that about you. Sometimes I feel like you have a deeper connection with God that I don't really understand; maybe I sound crazy, but I think it's cool :) Love ya, Reyra!
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem as you when I was focusing too hard, so I gave up on that and just YOLO'ed my walk which made it much more enjoyable as well as valuable to me. I've been thinking recently about how God gives us exactly what we need in the exact right amount. While I think it's a perfectly good idea to keep growing closer to Him, I don't think we should be frustrated if our progress isn't as drastic as we might like. Thanks for the pics, I enjoyed them.
ReplyDeleteYour honesty is very nice. You are always so honest. And that is nice. Most of the time. I remember chilling around the dog park. Mostly under that bridge thing. We thought we were so cool, walking all alone and stuff. Those days were nice. We should do that again, you know, if we can find the time for it.
ReplyDeleteIt's true Leyla-- sometimes you can't force reflection, and I've had walks where I wanted to chase some sort of epiphany, and it just eluded me. Still, I usually still enjoy the walk. :) I appreciate you giving this your best shot, and at the very least, you got some cool pictures out of it. I liked understanding more about your faith and how it informs your experience on a day-to-day level. Thanks, as always, for being real.
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