I'm very lucky to be among the few in my neighborhood, or let me say city, who take pleasure in dwelling in nature-filled places, especially when it comes to clearing away troublesome thoughts. I have friends who, whenever they feel depressed due to one issue or another and need to clear their minds, choose to go to a bar—a very noisy one, since all the bars in this city are noisy—to cool off. I often wonder how they do that, since they’re going there to think and not necessarily to drown their thoughts in alcohol. But somehow, it always works for them, with the help of a drink or two.
My photo

My photo

As for me, I love to relax in the shade of trees close to my compound. I go there often, and not necessarily only when I want to meditate or tackle life’s challenges. I just go there to relax, and many times, I find myself drifting into soothing thoughts. There’s a kind of serenity that comes with sitting under these trees. It gives me the feeling of being on top of the world, above all of life’s problems, especially with the soft breeze brushing against me from all directions, similar to the calmness one feels by the sea.

The street isn’t exactly quiet—there are people around—but they usually stay within their fenced compounds, and only a few of us come out. Most of the time, I’m usually alone, and I truly treasure those moments. Even the unfenced compound nearby, the occupants there are quiet and mind their business, so it adds to the peaceful atmosphere.

How often do I enjoy this spot?

As I mentioned in the beginning, this spot is a place I love to be, especially since I enjoy the breeze so much, even in cold weather. I go there frequently, not necessarily to do anything special like meditating, writing, or anything of that sort. I go whenever I’m free at home and don’t have anything to do, and every moment spent there somehow softens my mind, easing away any troubling thoughts.
My photo

My mind wanders even further when I pair the experience with soft music, playing through my AirPods. Oh boy, that feeling makes me feel like I’m in a Bollywood movie scene, where actors and actresses dance in slow motion by the water’s edge as if they don’t have a single problem in their lives.

Oh, before I forget, I don’t like being there late at night because of the owls that come around after dark. Although it’s just a superstition, we were raised to believe that those owls are witches that can see into our hearts and manipulate them negatively for their gain. It sounds funny, I know, but that’s why I still find it hard to go there from 7:30 p.m. onwards.

Thanks!

This is in response to the prompt in the Minimalist community.