sjsprWriting

Since I could remember, I have walked to school every morning. Walking those two blocks at 7:30 in the morning is my tradition. Many of my friends who live blocks away have their parents drive them to school; however, I walk because for me, it is way more than just a walk to school. Those 8 minutes of walking are 8 minutes of reflection, the only time in the day in which it is just me observing my surroundings. When I was little, I walked to school, with my mom of course, and although I was not physically alone, it sure felt like I was (in a good way of course). Everyday my feet would unconsciously put themselves one in front of the each other, but my mind was never present in the action. At the age of five, my mind would wonder off and would begin to create little stories behind the things I saw in the morning. I would add voices to the pigeons and picture headlights on cars as eyes, as I waved to my classroom peer who walked on the other side of the street. It was this creativity that woke me up every morning. Nowadays, as I walk to school I mentally prepare myself for what’s ahead. On Mondays, for example, I summarize my weekend, think about all the junk food I ate, promise myself I wont eat it again and then proceed to dreading the test I have first period. That is a classic Monday. The rest of the week, I walk to school and admire the adorable little kids on their way to school and try to remember the days when I was that age. Today, as I observe the cars I focus on the model and the color of its interior; as I approach the pigeons I try to walk as far away from them as possible, for, unlike before, I am scared to death of pigeons. It’s so weird how it’s the same distance that I walk at the same time of the day wearing the same uniform, however, my observations and the way I view my surroundings on my way to school is totally different. I’m the same person, but with a totally different way of thinking, way of acting, and way of living. It makes me wonder, is it my age that has changed me? Or is it the things that I see on my way to school that have influenced me and have caused me to learn and mature throughout the years?