Noland Trail Walk-Nayra Guevara

I have walked the Noland Trail many times. Going to the Noland Trail for class was something I was not looking forward. I had seen the trail many times and I knew I wasn’t going to see anything different. I was right for the most part. There were the same trees, same annoying bugs, and the same lush greenery. I felt a bit guilty that I was taking it all for granted. I walked away from the trail still feeling uninspired. On the way back, I decided to stop by the lake. I took a closer look at the water right by my feet. It was shallow and there was a barrier made out of cement separating the shallow water from the much larger lake. Since the water was so dark, the bottom of the large lake couldn’t be seen, adding a feeling of mystery to the water. I noticed some movement in the shallow part of the water. As I looked closer, I saw some tadpoles swiftly swimming about. These tadpoles were frantically swimming around in their own miniature lake. I thought about how they were so young and how they were separated from the larger lake by the cement barrier. At that moment in time, they were happily swimming in the confines of their small home. Soon enough, these tadpoles would find a way around the barrier and enter the real world. It is the same with humans. As children, we are safe and happy in our own little world. We are unaware of the troubled world we live in. Gradually, we enter the real world and begin to learn about the struggles and dilemmas that life throws at us. We continually long for the days when we swam in our own miniature lake.