Life needs fresh moments

Life Needs Fresh Moments

I believe in going to the countryside for a visit every now and then. The countryside teaches me what a bird, a brook and a forest are. The countryside teaches me where humans are from. The countryside teaches me that even though I live far away from nature and have little chance to know her, I am still tightly tied to her. And while going for a walk on the winding country lane, I learn from a passerby that I can be less aggressive and cold with people; that I can live a more relaxed life.

I love the country and the country people. Last summer I went to a mountain well-known to the locals in my hometown. When we stepped out of the taxi and onto the rough ground of the tall mountain, ineffable excitement and a sense of refreshment overwhelmed me. The air was just so clean and suitable for breathing. On the summit, we had a bird’s eye view of the silent mountains dotted by hazy, tiny villages. That’s also a glimpse of one of life’s truths: a long journey is needed to see what’s really different. When we descended, we got lost even though mom had said that she was familiar with the way from here to my grandpa’s house. But we met an old man in the mountain and fortunately he helped us out. Farmers in the mountain just won’t ignore anyone they caught sight of.

We had a long walk to my grandpa’s, mostly through trees and across fields. It turned out that I was capable of going by foot for such a long distance. I really hadn’t realized that human beings could still walk until I went on that hiking. I was proud.

I slept at my grandpa’s at night. Being dark, deep and tranquil, it was the most peaceful night I ever had, as I haven’t had a sound sleep without rattles of cars and rays of street lights penetrating my window since I could remember. I now know that the environment of my everyday life is truly noisy.

I got to ease my strained nerves and calm down my agitated feelings while walking, talking and sleeping in the countryside. In the mountains and fields, I ran, shouted, and sang loudly as if nobody was there. Yet nobody would bother to blame me.

Back to town, for people who are stuck there, most have inescapable stresses and strains from life and work. Perhaps modern people can’t bear forsaking their bustling cities to live in the countryside where there’s no uproar and no neon lights. But they could choose to have some fresh moments when they are really tired. Life needs fresh moments when you can realize yourself and your world, or just get some fresh air.