I close my eyes and there’s nothing: no sound but the leaves rustling from the force of the cool breeze. When I open my eyes, I see the leaves turning the colors of burning fire. As I walk, I feel the slight bumps of the uneven ground. With each step, the breeze moves my hair and the scent of the trees and fresh grass swirl around me. For a short time, nothing matters; only me and the beauty of simplicity. Simplicity is a luxury that, in the modern world, is a rare but beautiful experience. Life is so fast paced that is seems as if everything crumbles and builds up; leaving me struggling under it. Inhaling the pure, fresh air is what I need to expel and organize the tangle of thoughts.

There was a time when I didn’t even know this place and all the wonders around it existed. It was a silent rumor that the natives to Delaware spoke about. It soon became familiar to me and at one point; it was a place that I didn’t want to go near. Carousel Park was the place where I lost my best friend. Friends come and go throughout our lives, but he was different. Along with adjusting to my new life in Delaware, I faced the death of an old friend of mine; he was only 18. I was lost, drifting like a single paper floating in the wind. My friend stepped in and caught me to bring me back down. He steadily became my rock, especially when my grandmother died at the end of my junior year. He understood me in a way that no one else did or could; I tried so hard to help him as he had his fair share of problems. However, we had our problems until the day came that it was finally the end. We had an argument that we knew we could never return from. It was the first time that I had ever been to that park. The mid-afternoon spring sun wasn’t enough to warm me while the wind cut through my jacket. The argument drawled out for over an hour as his voice was coated with smooth venom and mine was as hard as stone.

I left the park shattered into a million pieces and silently vowed to never return. All it could do was bring back the pain. I had lost him; it was more than I could handle. I thought it was the end of the world. It felt as is a thousand knives nestled themselves in my heart. From that point on, I walked like a zombie, going through the motions. But as life moved on, things became easier and we left for the summer on a better note, knowing that he was transferring schools.

One day, with nothing else to do, I made the decision to go back to Carousel. It was a warm autumn day with a breeze that sent a chill down my spine. I set my phone on silent, put my headphones away, and just walked. The calming was overwhelming. As I walked, I let everything set in; I thought about all that had happened here. In the far off distance, I could hear the faint sound of traffic and life outside this realm. The calmness soon became soothing. I was so caught up in fast-paced life that I forgot what nature sounded like. The birds sang their songs and the leaves danced in the wind. For the first time in months, I felt calm and content. I sat down on the cool grass and my mind was washed clean. I came to terms with everything and promised a return. Carousel Park is my sanctuary; it was here that I knew I could move on from this chapter of turmoil and survive with a bright smile on my face.