Feeling The Sunshine | Page 19

Feeling the Sunshine, Spring 2020 An EHS Student Special Feature Publication Getting Outside and Seeing the Bright Side During Difficult Times Robert Thoelen Right now, we are all stuck at home with not much to do besides mountains of schoolwork. While we are all stuck in our houses, it may seem like we are going to be stuck here for a while, and the constant influence of modern media is telling us more bad news, some of it which might not be true. There is a bright side to everything, and it may seem difficult to see it. On a sunny day, get outside and look around you. Nature can speak and inspire many and it has for millennia. You don’t need to go far, even your backyard has a story to tell. Mine does. There are multiple tulips that open up every day and I can look outside by back window or even the window in my workshop to see them. The bright and vibrant colors don’t show the injustice in the world, they show peace and brightness. The trees in my yard show the life that is still in our world. Though it may seem like the world is ending and humans are savages to each other, the humble oak and maple tree with its red and green leaves show that life is everywhere. Nature is a symbol and it always has been. It has bought people to different places and was used for landmarks that point to better life. It is used to inspire people to create and live the way that they want. For me, I am a woodworker, and I started blacksmithing when the lockdown began. I have used nature to create, from using wood slabs to forging an iron snake that is shaped into a hook with a flagpole. Nature is used to relax from the madness of everyday life and stress involved with online school and looking for colleges. While we are all stuck isolated from human contact, we should look to nature as we can see that during difficult times, we can get through it and be happy. We will all be able to see our friends and family again without the use of video calls eventually, but we should all look at the right side of our current situation and do thing that make ourselves and others happy so this difficult time is enjoyable and memorable.