Pause.

By Taylor Legall

In the narrative of life, we may not be able to rewind or fast-forward, but we do sometimes need a pause. Every hour of every day, we are stimulated. Our phones give us constant information, the people around us expect a certain amount of feedback from us, and everyday life requires that you give a certain amount of energy. It is easy to get drained by life itself. I’ve found it increasingly important to step away from all of the noise and to pause. 

In the last month, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Europe. When I was near Paris with some of my peers, we visited the Palace of Versailles. The iconic gardens really are spectacular! I found myself wandering around the gardens and letting all of my worries leave my mind. Walking around, I did not let myself stress or worry. I simply let myself be alone in the gardens. I remember it being serene and peaceful, beyond anything I had experienced before. I tried to see everything around me for exactly what it was, and nothing more. And it was in this moment that I realized just how stressed I was, even while I was on vacation. If I was that stressed in Paris, I can’t even imagine my anxiety during the year. 

I guess my point is that we don’t all have Versailles’s exquisite gardens in our backyard, but we all do need to pause. It is important to step away from all the stresses and pressures of life and have a moment to ourselves. A moment where we get to be ourselves, in the truest sense. After my cathartic experience, I am going to make a point to pause. To sit outside by myself or to talk an independent walk, so that I can come back and press play with a clear mind.