Bench Assignment
I went out for a drive to find a bench. The bench I found is perfect. It overlooks the ocean and is high enough you wont get the ocean cold breeze. My bench is old. It's the bench you would go to for a talk with friends or want to watch the sunset. My bench is perfect for that. It's at the top of the British Properties. There's grass around it so it's pet friendly. If I had a dog I would take my dog for a walk around this bench.If I got tired of walking, a perfect opportunity to sit and rest and yet there is still grass for my dog. It may be a little busy with cars but just think of it as white noise and if you can zone that out, the perfect time to think about what's happening in your life or about the future. It's especially pretty at christmas time when all the lights are hung up on the trees in the middle of the road that divides the up and going down on it. Also if you want to go on a walk and get the hill exercise in this is a great place for a break it's in the middle of a u shape position and its right at the bottom so you can only go up. It's just a great resting place and a good sitting area. The sunset is nice and it brings me happiness.
I see trees, cars, lights, a sunset, and a bright future ahead. I feel like I'm looking down on the world when I'm sitting on the bench. I feel as though I can do anything as I have the power. I can be the change that I wanna see. While I'm sitting here I'm thinking of things I have to do. Things I want to do. Planning for my future such as: my trips that I'm taking after graduation, potential jobs that I can do to make a living, and what I want to study in university. I realize how much sitting at this bench relaxes me. I'm worrying about so much stuff and when I sit and I look at the sunset I just forget and take it all in. I want people who sit at my bench to take away from it to let all your worries go away. The drive to the bench might be stressful because of the traffic but once you are passed that I only have hope for people who take the time to sit at the bench. I've only been at this bench once for this project but I'm definitely coming back. It's my new way of meditating.
If a bench was dedicated to me I would want it near my home whether that be a place or a person. If it was a place I would want it high enough to watch the sunset and look over and see the city and its lights. Where people come to sit and talk, watch their children play on a playground, where happy memories were made and shoulders were cried on. I would really love my bench to be the bench people go to. I want to feel included, that's all I ask for. On the other hand if my bench was going to be with a person, it would be with someone who I had many memories with. I would have loved them. I'd spend my years making sure that they felt safe. On the plate I would want it to say “ In loving memory of Nadia Cooper she may look mean but her heart was full of love” because I tend to seem angry all the time but I’m not and I can't help my facial expressions so I think it's a nice summary to sum up my life; because I’m tired of explaining that I’m not feeling a negative feeling when I’m just being myself.
If I were to dedicate a bench to someone it would be someone important to be. I would know their favourite spots around the city and from there I would choose a place they would enjoy. If it was my mom, somewhere in the forest or on a pathway because she loves to go on walks. If it was my dad, it would be overlooking the ocean or at the marine because he loves boats. If it was my boyfriend, on the other hand it would be at a mall where we first met. To whoever I dedicate a bench to, it will have sentimental value to it. I want them to look at where I placed their bench and say that I did a good job choosing a spot for them because they all mean so much to me. My mom's inscription would be “ In loving memory of Anna she loved spending time with her family and going on walks with them, even if they didn't want to” which is so true she always wants us to go on a walk with her we usually do. For my dad, I believe it would say “ In loving memory of Dave he loved spending time with his family and going boating” in the summer time we go boating a lot. Lastly, for my boyfriend, I strongly believe it would say “ In loving memory of my boyfriend, cats are the best thing ever!” He really loves cats, it's adorable. I think that's where and what I would put them. I hope those people think I did a good job choosing.
I woke up late on a Saturday afternoon. I was thinking about what to do. I always love a good drive around town; so I went downstairs and I asked my mom to go driving with me. We hopped in the car and started the engine. As we were driving up and down the streets. Every couple of streets we would turn. We ended up in West Vancouver going along the British Properties. It's like house shopping to me. My mom and I judge all the houses saying if we would live there or not, surprisingly a lot of them are not ourstyle. We were about to head home when I saw the most perfect bench ever; don’t get me wrong it was like a generic old dirty bench but it was amazing. It was right in the middle of both sides of where I was, you could see the sunset and it would be a perfect bench to talk about life to your friends or partners. I told my mom to stop and pull over and she did; I got out of the car and I said this was my bench for my English project. She told me that she had to go home because she had things to do. I told her I'm just going to start writing about my bench, taking pictures of any little detail I could think of that would describe my experience with this bench I wrote down. An hour or so later I called my mom to come pick me up as I was done and I was starting to get cold and hungry. She comes and picks me up. We talked about how my bench experience was and I told her all about.; how the bench was now “my bench” and how I would love to take my friends there to watch the sunset and we could talk about our futures. It's the perfect bench for just talking to people you love. We arrived at my house and I went straight to my room, got my laptop and started writing about my bench while answering the questions. I had an amazing day that week.
help i've just been run over by a bus
having a relationship
with you
is like riding
a 3-speed bicycle
in rush-hour traffic
up youge st.-
too many people
altogether
and besides
it's dangerous-
i got hit
by a bus 1 day
& didn’t know what hit me
till i stuck the pavement
& saw this great big
bus body
going past me
2 inches from
my hand on the ground
what happened
a man asked
did your bike
get caught
in the grating?
no is said
grating my foot!
a bus just hit me
what does it look like?
(realizing i could’ve been killed
& no one would’ve
even notice
-not even the bus-)
falling in love with you
was like
being hit
by a bus-
i wasn't killed
but i wouldn't do it again
-Gwen Hauser
This poem explains my bench because, this poem talks about heartbreak and toxic relationships, which my bench best represents. As it is in the middle of two sides. I feel like when you're in the middle of a heartbreak or a toxic relationship you don't know which side to be on; whether that be your friend's side or your partner's side. Due to the fact this poem can also be about a bad friendship not just a relationship. I think when you're put in the middle of choosing sides it is difficult; and I feel as though talking about it might be the best way to sort things out. If you're having trouble communicating, which is why a bench is a good place to do it, you're forced to talk about it because it's just you, the people you're talking to and the bench. My bench is great for that because there is not much out there beside grass.
My personal philosophy is Hakuna Matata. It means no worries for the rest of your day. I feel like this connects to my poem in a weird way because the poem I chose is about heartbreak and toxic relationships; and my philosophy is like move on, no worries. I think after a certain point in time, after a heartbreak you can say Hukuna Matata and you will stress out less after that. I think after something major happens like heartbreak or a toxic relationship happens it might be easier for you to say no worries for the rest of your day. I think that would be helpful to someone who is getting over that experience to not have any pressure on them and just to be like “Hakuna Matata” and also to just go with the flow. I think along with no worries for the rest of your day is also just flowing with what comes your way. Which I feel is important after experiencing what my chosen poem went through. Also my philosophy is Hakuna Matata, it stuck out as a kid and as someone who is very stressed about life it's very important to remember to take a break sometimes and just go with the flow and to stop worrying.
Hakuna Matata by the Lion King
Parks are great, they're fun to hang out at. You can have picnics, throw a ball around, star gaze, talk to your friends,walk around. My favourite thing about the parks I go to is the playground. I might be too old now but when there aren't a lot of kids playing on the equipment, I do. It's so much fun to swing on swings and slide down slides and hang from the monkey bars (I'm really good at those). And playing on the playground with your friends is the best thing ever. I think the purpose for parks is to connect with people with the outside. Like catching up with some people you haven't seen in a while, it's a great open space and it's fun to do things outdoors. A lot of people I know have birthday parties at parks because there are benches to lay food down on and just an open free space to run around and play games. I think as we grow older we think parks are childish and we don't want to associate with that, but some of my best memories are playing games outside with my friends. In general I think the purpose of a park is to enjoy the people around you.
Beautiful to sit on
Experience a new love for a spot
Nice view when looking out
Charming place to sit with friends
Hopeful spot to day dream
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