Sitting on a Bench
1. Visit a park, chose a bench, explain your choice, and describe your bench.
Sometimes when I sit on my bench, I can feel the mist from the dam hitting my skin and giving it a chill. My bench is located near the Cleveland Dam, and it is looking over the reservoir for Vancouver. I used to come to this park all the time as a child with my family, after we did a small hike we would sit on this bench and have a light snack while taking in the view. The bench is located behind the gravel sidewalk and look out into the lake and mountains. As soon as we got assigned this final project, I knew immediately that this was the bench I wanted to do. My dad raised me in a way so when I grew older I would really appreciate the outdoors. We went camping every chance we got, we went boating and hiking all around British Columbia, but this was his favourite spot. He grew up in the neighbourhood that is about a 5 minute walk from the bench, when we would sit on the bench he would tell me stories about his childhood, about all the adventures he would go on with his childhood friends around the dam. I remember one time he told me about the time him and his friends suck through the fence and went below the dam in some secretive cave. He made me swore that I would never be as stupid as him, but I think he secretly hopes I have some of the same experiences he did. We would sit on that bench for hours on end and just talk, I think he is the main reasons why I love storytelling and nature so much. This bench hols all the memories of my childhood. He bench is very old, you can tell it's been there a while, but I almost like it better that way. The bench has aged with me over the years, and besides it has more character that way. It has a backstory, it;s held multiple different people from all over the world, the bench has been loved, I think that's better than a fancy clean brand new bench.
2. From the bench, describe what you see, what you feel, what you think, what you want.
When you sit on the bench, it overlooks the lake, where we get out water. Behind the lake you can see the group of mountains called the Lions. You can see various different types of mountains from the bench but that one is my favourite. I was too young to go with her, but when I was around 12, my mom hiked to the top of those mountains with my step dad. It took them about 12 hours each way, they had to camp there overnight. I remember itching, waiting for her to get home because I was so excited to hear about her journey, what she saw and what she experienced. She told me all of it, the most memorable part of her trip for me was when she met these two birds. When she reached the top of the mountains she found these fresh blueberries, she told me they were the best berries she had ever eaten. With the berries she was eating sunflower seeds, those seeds attracted these two birds, and they went and sat on her hand. Still to this day she doesn't know what type of birds they were, but they stayed with her the entire time she was at the top of the mountain. After she had ran out of sunflower seeds she expected the birds to leave, but they didn't, they didn't leave her side. I remember wondering why those birds stayed with her, I tried googling, trying to figure it out. My mom wanted to do it again to try and find the birds, but she developed a heart condition and she could not do heavy exercise with it so she never got the chance to do it again. I hope one day I will be able to. This bench holds so many memories for me, whenever I go to bench that's all I can think about. I feel a sort of bitter sweet feeling when I go to my bench. I go there as often as I can, when I need to read, or write, or even if I just need a moment to myself, I go to my bench. I grew up going there, and now I feel especially bittersweet because I am graduating next week and am moving away from home soon and won't be able to visit it as often as I would like. I want to be able to visit this bench as much as I need to, but unfortunately, life doesn't go along with your wishes and your rules, it's a curve ball. And who knows, maybe I'll find a new bench when I move, one that hopefully means as much to me as this one does.
3. If a bench were dedicated to you, where would you like the bench, and what would you like the inscription plate to say?
Everyday, when I go for a walk, if it's down by the beach or in a forest or park I always see benches. Before recently I never really took a second look at the benches I would pass, sometimes I would sit on them but not even bother reading the inscriptions. But with this assignment I have started paying more attention to them, reading them and even looking then up and doing research about these people. With all this thinking about who were on these benches, I couldn't help but wonder what my bench would look like, and where I would want to put it. I think if i were to have my own bench, I would want it to have a view of some body of water, whether that's a lake or an ocean, either or works. But I wouldn't want the bench to be too high up, and difficult to reach so it could be accessible to everyone. If I would really get into the specifics I would want my bench in Tofino, British Columbia. One of my family members owns a house up there so I would go up there every summer with my family. The house was right down the road from Florencia Bay Beach, and out of all the beaches in Tofino, that one was always my favourite. It's so open and free, and I always felt like that beach was so welcoming. It was never too crowded and there was never much trash around. I reminded me of a beach in the 1970's, not that I would have any idea what that would look like, but that's what it felt like. So, I would want my bench at that beach, in a grassy area just above the sand, looking over the beach and the ocean and the people, guarding it in a way. As for my inscription, that's a bit more complex. As I am so young I have never really thought about what I would like my tombstone, or my inscription on my bench would say. However, after some thought, and I'm sure this will change with age, I would like my bench to say "Call 5 people in your contacts and tell them you love and appreciate them, for life is too short to not express gratitude and you may never know when they won't be on the other line, and will be unable to answer." Throughout my 18 years on this earth so far, one thing I've taken away from my decade and a bit, is that one of the most beautiful things associated with being a human. When I feel loved and appreciated, I feel such joy and pure genuine happiness, not many other things on earth can make me feel like love can. Whenever I get a spare moment and remember, I always send a quick text message to my good friends and some of my family member's and I tell them how much I love them. Even though I'm so young and have so much to learn, I know that life is precious and valuable and the people in it are even more so, so tell them how much you love them, because one day you won't be able to.
4. If you dedicated a bench, where would you like the bench, and what would the inscription say?
If I were to dedicate a bench to someone, I would either dedicate to one of my parents or one of my best friends. They are one of the main reasons why I am still alive today, they have helped me through so much I genuinely do not know where I would be without them. I am unsure if one of them passes, I would probably want to do something more than dedicate a bench to them, however a bench would be a nice gesture. Out of everyone, I would probably dedicate a bench to my mom, she is literally the reason I am alive today, and one of the reason's I still am. Most of my friends do not have the best relationships with their parents, as well as many other people in the world. I have seen the way my step-brothers mom treats him, and it makes me even more grateful for my mom and the person she is. She always puts other peoples needs before her own, and she has five kids, which are all boys except for me. So truthfully, I have absolutely no idea how she does it, I have a hard enough time being siblings with them all, let alone parenting them. My moms death is something I don't particularly like to think about very often, obviously. But I owe everything to that women, she is my rock and she always will be I think, even after she's no longer with us. If I were to dedicate a bench to her, I would probably place it in Alouette Lake. We camp there every summer and have since I was very young. It's a beautiful lake and I love going there. I remember one time when I was little, I went with my entire family. It was a weekend that my two older brothers could actually get off work so It was the first time in a while we got the chance to all be there together. We all love to swim, especially how my dad raised me, if I see a body of water in the summer, I will be in there in a matter of seconds. But my mom always liked to observe rather than go with us, every year she would always sit on the same rock, it was shaped like a chair and tailored perfectly to fit her. So if I were to put a bench somewhere for her, I would put it there. Not in place of the rock, but beside it, so I could go sit and read with her again. As for the inscription, I would say something like this, but something probably worded better, "for the women that always observed, I hope you are still observing, and that you are proud of me, I miss you."
5. Write a journal response about your trip to the park
I took my trip to my park on a rainy Saturday, I always prefer to bus to the park rather than drive because it makes me feel safe. I have to take 2 buses and I started out from my house then to Lonsdale, then from there it takes me right to the park. Because of the way I grew up I've always preferred forest to the city, I don't know why but the forest to me has always seemed so much more comforting and inviting than the city. So on that Saturday on my ride into the mountains, I felt a sense of relief in me, my shoulders started to ease and I became more calm. As I stepped off the bus I started walking to my bench, since it was raining the dam was on almost full capacity. As I started walking closer the sound of the water hitting the bottom of the dam became louder and louder. I could hear and smell the rain on the sidewalk and gravel and hear the birds chirping. You can never really find a large population of birds in the city other than crows and pigeons, but here all you hear is them, and see so many different varieties of them. I started walking up to my bench, as I'm walking up the hill I notice the lack of people around me. This park is usually a tourist attraction, but given the rain, there weren't very many people there that afternoon. But I didn't mind the peace and quiet, gave me more room to think and reflect and really focus on this assignment. I started walking up the small hill to my bench and I slowly approach the view of the lake and the mountains. No matter how many times I come to this park and sit on my bench, I always have to sit and take in the view for a few minutes before I continuance my tasks, it's just that beautiful. I tried my best to dry a spot for me to sit, and I start reflecting on my assignment and what I was going to write for my questions. I finish up my homework, but before I leave I stay for another 20 minutes just looking at the view. I usually listen to music while doing this but with the rain, dam, and the birds I felt like I didn't need it this time. I take my bus home and arrive there just in time for dinner. I was gone for hours, I was soaking wet and smelt of grass and rain water. But all I could help but feel was gratitude. I always feel like that when I visit the bench, and I am forever grateful that I have an outlet like that to visit when I need to.
6. Chose a poem that suits your bench, and explain your choice. Include a copy of the poem.
When your world moves too fast
And you lose yourself in the chaos,
Introduce yourself
to each colour of the sunset.
Reacquaint yourself with the earth
beneath your feet.
Thank that the air that surrounds you
with every breath you take.
Find yourself in the appropriation of life.
- Christy Ann Martine
Whenever I am at my bench, I always feel like I am reconnected with nature. Living in such a beautiful place in British Columbia, I feel like I always take where I live for granted. I often don't remember how lucky I am to live where I do, I am admittedly always very consumed by my own life and forget. So whenever I come back to my bench I am reminded of it. I chose this poem because it reminds me how I feel when I come back to my bench. I always feel very grounded and re-centred when I return. Like I said before, I usually forget that we live in such a beautiful place, and I rarely have time to go on a trip or a hike now especially with grad coming up. And it's really unfortunate that I even need a reminder to begin with but I often go unaware of my privilege. I get so caught up with my schoolwork and trying to finalize my plan for post secondary, while also trying to maintain good social life, It slips my mind that sometimes I just need to sit and take a deep breath and ground myself every once and a while. I think this poem explains my exact thought process, and what it feels like to truly appreciate nature and all it has to offer. Sometimes the simplest things in life are the best things. Like sunset or a waterfall or even just hearing the sound of wild birds because especially now a days that can be difficult to find. I encourage everyone that I become close with in my lifetime to visit this bench, or at least this park because it truly is one of North Vancouver's most beautiful places, in my opinion.
7. Explain how your poem explains your personal philosophy of life.
Being so young, I have not put much thought into my personal philosophy of life. As of right now I know what being human means to me, and I don't exactly know my purpose quite yet, but I'm definitely on the right path to figuring it out. I am only 18, and I haven't still haven't experienced some of the many beautiful things life has to offer. However, I was exposed to death at a very young age, I attended my first funeral when I was around maybe 8 years old. Since then I have encountered a few life or death situations that I've been put it. So ever since then, I have always valued the gift of life and have had a decent understanding of how valuable and precious it is. I try my hardest not to take anything for granted, however, that can be very difficult sometimes. Sometimes I don't even realize that I'm taking something for granted until it's no longer available to me. I remember I took a trip to the United States with my family for my 13th birthday. I remember tasting the water and being so grossed out that I actually had to physically spit out the water. That's when I realized that out water here in North Vancouver is so good because it's so fresh. And we have access to good and clean drinking water, which is something a majority of the world does not have. I then realized that i had taken that for granted, and that's such a small example of something many individuals take advantage of, there is so much more. I haven't finalized my personal philosophy in life down to a few sentences, I haven't made it sound super fancy and smooth flowing with professional sounding words. But along with the poem I included, I would say my personal philosophy of life is something along the lines of never take anything for granted, always appreciate what you have and always tell the people in your life that you love and appreciate them. Life is too short to not do any of these things and not tell people you love them, because one day you might not be able to.
8. What is the purpose of a park? What are your thoughts about parks?
Growing up my parents always took me to parks, I would spend hours playing on the playground and meeting new friends. As the years went on and I grew older, my appreciation for parks went down significantly. I wouldn't go to them as often as I would as a kid, I always did, and still do enjoy a time on the swing though. More to the point, as I grew older I spent less and less time in the park. That was until Covid hit mid 2020, I would stay and quarantine in my house for weeks and months on end. But I remember in summer of 2020, the government allowed us to socially distance and visit our friends in groups no bigger than 6. I remember my friends and I we're so excited to finally see each other. We met up at the park on 15th on the boulevard, and we proceeded to meet up there almost everyday of the week after online school. We would just bring blankets and our own snacks and just talk, for hours. I would bike there from my house and listen to music, that was one of the only things that let me keep my sanity during those times. I vividly remember that it was very difficult to find a spot because of how crowded the park was. Since the pandemic started I had never seen that many people in one place in months. Ever since then, even if my friends are busy and I have to go by myself and just sit in the park by my house and read. Before the pandemic I never really idolized all of the parks right near me, minutes away from my house, until now. Every so often my friends and I still meet up in the same park and catch up. So to me, I think that the purpose of parks are to bring people together, and to provide a place for people to meet up. You don't have to spend any money when you go to a park, you can where whatever you want, you just sit and talk or think. To me, parks are a place where people can go for sanctuary, it's somewhere you can bring your kids, and somewhere where you can just escape and get away for a few hours.
9. Write a poem reflecting on your impending high school graduation
The day has come to turn our tassels
We have gotten over our tears and our hassles
We will part ways and say farewell
To the people who taught us how to think and spell
Clapping for all but cheering for one
Our high school years are finally done
Our dreams and goals will lead the way
And it all starts here, on our graduation day!
