Nature Journal #1: Admiring Flowers at The Harrison

Admiring the beauty of TCU is something that I hope to never take for granted. Whether it be our perfectly kept facilities, pristine flora and fauna, or our impeccable devotion to detail of having traces of purple throughout campus, TCU is one-of-a-kind. The campus has its unique way of making every student feel like they have a home away from home. However, the immense beauty of TCU is so embedded in my subconsciousness, that I often forget to take the time to smell the flowers. Living off campus in my sterile, concrete home has rendered me dormant in my pursuit of on-campus wonders. My once lively mission to engage in daily walks throughout campus wanting to find every nook and cranny that TCU possessed has transformed into a longing for what once was. Living on campus, like clockwork, I would meet a friend for a nightly walk every other day. Each time, I would have us meet at a different location, furthering my passion to explore all that campus has to offer. 

Moreover, for my nature observation, I knew that a walk outdoors throughout campus is exactly what I needed to reignite my curiosity. So, I embarked on a 2 mile walk throughout campus, spanning from Greek Village to the Neeley Business School, visiting Jarvis Hall and the BLUU, and everything in between. But this time, I went alone. 

One of the first areas that caught my eye were the beautiful and meticulously planted flowers outside of the Harrison. I immediately stopped in my tracks to admire the most gorgeous pink and purple flowers. The weather was beautiful that night, and the soft wind blowing made the flowers look like they were dancing! It was truly an incredible sight to see. I was so entranced by these dancing flowers, and I couldn’t believe my eyes that I had never noticed them before. Ironically, I work at the Harrison multiple days a week, and pass by this flowerbed every single time I walk into work. So, why had I never noticed these dazzling flowers before? Maybe because I was not taking time to smell the flowers. I was failing to take time to appreciate the innate charm that our campus carries. Moreover, I am reminded of Walter Hagen’s profound quote, “Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way”. 

While exploring the wonders of campus and reminding myself to never take its beauty for granted, I pivoted this thought toward people. Growing up, my grandfather would always encourage me to “let the living smell the flowers”. Now, this deviates from the commonly used quote mentioned above. Letting the living smell the flowers details the importance of letting someone know how much they mean to you before it is too late. Whether it is praising someone on a job well done on an assignment, or pulling someone aside to let them know how much you love their smile, don’t want until it’s too late to compliment someone. Showcase your love and adoration for a person while they can still hear it and feel it. Take the time to brighten someone’s day and make them smile. This also goes in tandem with one of my favorite Maya Angelou quotes that I reference daily: 

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

It is not difficult to take just a few seconds out of your day to compliment someone, yet, unless we are directly told to do it, we often forget how impactful words are. When spoken intentionally, they can be transformational.