Okay, so, I wrote this essay for my English class last year when we were studying transcendentalism. I really enjoyed this section and especially writing this paper, so i decided to share it with y'all. The experiment was to live out a week as a transcendentalist and choose an experiment from a list of things to do for the week. I chose to wake up every morning to watch the sunrise. The paper is pretty self explanatory.
Here it is:
Thoreau Experiment
I am in a dark, dusty, dilapidated room; I feel in my right hand a thin wooden stick- a wand: I am in school, but not just any school, I am at Hogwarts in my Defense Against the Dark Arts Class. Dressed in my robes with my want at hand, I am now ready to go. Next in line, I see my fellow Ravenclaw house mates the other side of the room, awaiting to duel one another; I know exactly which spells to use and when. “Mr. Fierros, you may now take your place.” I step slowly onto the colorful leather wooden platform. I can feel the adrenaline coursing through my body, my stomach, already, is heavy with nervousness, but I dare not show any emotion for my opponent will definitely use them against me. “Wands at the ready…” My heart beat begins to accelerate to a rapid pace as I steadily raise my want above my head. “On the count of three you may begin…” my heart beats faster, the thudding now so violent I can barely breathe, “one…” once again my heart beat begins to accelerate, “two…” faster and faster my heart beats- “THREE!” Just then, I feel a warm hand on my right shoulder and I sadly begin to realize this was all a dream. “Jon! You asked me to wake you up, so here I am.”
My mother begins to complain and attempts to drill me with questions as to why I would wish to wake at such an hour. It is 5:30, certainly hours before I usually wake up to dress for school, and yet here I am slowly getting out of bed and dressing myself. I make my way to the back yard and begin to ascend the ladder to my roof. I am miserable. It is still very dark, all streetlights still lit, and only a few dozen cars can be heard whistling through the cold damp streets. The previous night’s rainfall had left the air cold and crisp; with every exhale, my breath is illuminated in a cloud of white. I soon figure that I cannot stand the entire time and I sit myself down on a lawn chair that I had placed just the night before. After a long ten minutes, I see the eastern horizon instantly a blaze with sunlight. Beautiful shades of yellow, orange, red, and the most spectacular pallet of purple illuminate the sky. In minutes, just as the sky springs to life, simultaneously, house lights turn on, cars roar to life and the streets of Whittier are alive. The journey to this point was compiled with a dream ruined, and a long wait, but was more than I could have ever desired. Although it was only the first day of my experiment, I was already taught the life long lesson to live to see the world, live slowly, and appreciate much. Henry David Thoreau once said: “Live each season as it passes; breathe air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.”
My mother and others alike, were less supportive when I would explain to them what I was doing. When asked why, I would give them the most honest answer I could possibly reply: it was the easiest experiment on the list to choose from. Quite frankly, I wasn’t very eager to start this experiment, after all- that is some very valuable sleeping time, and as many may or may not know, I don’t get very much of it. And when told why, their reactions were, of course, that of the expected: they laughed for a bit and replied the ever-so-popular “you crazy kid, you!” I was too concerned with maintaining what little dignity I had left to even mention the other truth in why I chose to pursue this particular experiment. It has always been a great desire of mine to watch the sunrise. “He enjoys true leisure who has time to improve his souls estate.” Thoreau explains that through relaxation and pursuing one’s interests, he finds true happiness; I believe man spends too much time marveling the sun set to even begin to think of what began this daily feat.
Henry David Thoreau explained through his teaching, that happiness comes from within, and true happiness comes from enjoying the simplicity of that which is around you. In this experiment, I found ways to enjoy my surroundings instead of complaining about the non-stop world that consumes my everyday life. Slow down- life is too short to not stop and enjoy your surroundings. Thoreau’s reasons for why he left Walden Pond are the same reason for which I chose to pursue this experiment. “I had several more lives to live, and I could not spare any more time for that one.”
This experiment was definitely worth the early mornings. Although, as much as I enjoyed them, I do not believe I will do this again. Maybe as an adult I may find time in my mornings to rest and enjoy what God has created for me, but I find it difficult for a lazy teenager such as myself to wake every morning with such a routine. I must say, I do wish those hours of sleep that I missed were somehow given back. This experiment taught me to not take for granted what is given to you and to enjoy what you already have; take pride in your differences and love freely.
