Well here's a descriptive essay I made for my ENGLCOM class back in my third term. I feel like it can be improved upon, but I guess it's fine. Well, I hope you enjoy reading this. :)
My view faded in from black as I opened my eyes to find my mother gently shaking me awake. She unstrapped my seat belt and lifted me up out of the car seat and set me down onto the pavement, holding my hand as we sauntered towards the sound of children laughing and screaming in delight as they played. As we approached, structures of different shapes and sizes loomed over me, some smooth and straight while others with various loops and twists embedded in the figures. I stood in awe as I stared intently at the area that opened itself up before me. Suddenly, I felt a tug on my hand pulling me towards a cluster of picnic tables on a bed of grass. My mom placed her bag on top of a wooden table nearby and took out a pocketbook to read. She gestured that I was allowed to go back to the figures that had piqued my interest. I inched my way towards the group of structures, unsure of what they were for. Some children were flying through the air, only to come back down again. Others swiftly glided towards the earth at an alarming rate. I caught a glimpse of a few kids swinging from place to place, and a few others that stayed in one place but instead moved up and down. The amount of activity surrounding me was overwhelming, but I caught hold of myself. As I gazed at what lay before me, I saw scenes of my life flash before me. I saw everything that has happened and all that was yet to come, all within a blink of an eye. I saw my life through this playground.
Curious and excited, I strode towards a group of children nearby, hoping to learn more about the area I was entering. I saw shovels and pails of different shapes and sizes, some packed filled with sand. I took in a view filled with towers, castles, bridges, and moats, varying in complexity from a simple cylinder to a complex maze of figures. I seated myself next to an older child who obviously knew what he was doing and watched intently as he built more and more structures just out of sand. A shovel in one hand and a small bucket in the other, I observed how he came to create the various buildings that surrounded him. He packed down a pile of sand into his bucket and once he was satisfied by his work, he would tip the contents out, give his bucket a light tap, and lift it up to reveal something new. I figured that in this enclosed pen, nothing was impossible. You could create anything and everything, as long as you can picture it in your mind. The amount of ideas your imagination could come up with was practically limitless, and they all came from something unexpected – a pile of formless sand. I was in the sandbox, the place where all of my ideas begin.
I rose up and moved elsewhere, intrigued by what was causing the other children to run around when they could be sitting in the sandbox as well. I saw children flying up through the air, their hair flowing behind them as they moved. The chains supporting them were slightly rusted from old age, but otherwise stable. As one child went up, another came back down. Other children were already lined up, standing behind those in flight, ready to give them a boost back up. While some had helpers to go higher, others could support themselves. The ones that reached the highest point let out a squeal of delight as they descended back down. I waited my turn, and when I got on, a feeling of relief surged through my body. I felt the wind in my hair and the rush of the earth moving away from me. I reached the top and, for a split second, felt like I was at the top of the world. Then I came back down to earth, learning that even the most joyful moments of someone's life isn't for forever. The ups and downs of life started at the swings.
More kids were running around, and I looked over to see what all the fuss was about. A long line started forming at the base of the steps but the movement was constant. The children went up one after another and, after a few seconds, came running past to line up again. When I reached the head of the line, I cautiously climbed up. When I reached the top, I suddenly felt nervous. Before me was a steep slope of shiny metal gleaming in the sun. The kid behind me urged me to sit down and just go for it, but a part of me was hesitant to take the fall. Eventually, I gave in and took a seat. I let gravity pull me down and my breath be taken away from me. Within a few seconds, I had reached the bottom. I looked up and wondered what made me so worried when it was actually exciting. I learned to take the plunge and find risks worth making, like the choice to get on the slide.
A couple of older kids were rushing past, and I turned to see where they were headed. I saw a skeletal structure that was tall and wide. The coat of red paint was slightly peeling off, but the figure itself was smooth. I caught a glimpse of the older kids jumping up to reach the structure. When they got hold of it, they started swing their bodies forward and back. One of them suddenly let one of his hands let go of the bar, but instead of falling down, he grabbed hold of the bar in front. His legs dangled as he made an effort to keep his grip. The other one wasn't as strong. As she let go of the bar with one hand, she came plummeting down to the ground. She stood up and dusted herself off then walked back to the end where she jumped up again. She grabbed the bar and hoisted herself up again, and started swing like before. She gained momentum before she had the courage to let go and grab the next. She kept repeating this process until she reached the end. When she finally reached the end, she let out a sigh of relief and let go, a broad smile splashed on her face. Not everything in life is easy to get. Some might make you fall, but you just have to stand yourself back up and try again. The feeling of accomplishment you get when you attained your goal is overwhelming, like the first time you completed the monkey bars.
I turned around and found my mother waving, calling me towards her. I sprinted towards her and leaped into her arms. She gently lifted me up and carried me to the car. I felt my eyes get heavy as I sat in the car seat. Flashbacks of my day flooded my mind. I saw the sandbox and the ideas that seemed to form from nothing. I imagined the swings, the ups and downs of life, and the constant they had in common that was change. I pictured the slide and the plunge I took to realize what I was missing. I felt the pull of gravity on me as I swung on the monkey bars, reaching for my goals that were hard to achieve. I blinked and tugged on the seat belt. I shut the door behind me and walked around to the driver seat. I inserted the key, gave it a quick turn, and started the engine. I turned to look at the backseat and saw my child dozing soundly in her car seat. I smiled as I turned back to the front and drove off down the road back home.
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