I realized that the photo of nature goes against the prompt but its weirdness intrigued me. The was educated by my mom that this is a Tulip.

On my journey to the outdoors, I aimed at finding a living thing near where my old swing set was Since I wanted to write about it but this flower stuck out to me. In my yard ever since I was young we had a swing set built by my dad and grandpa. Near it, I found this red flower. The flower wasn’t planted by my mom or sister, it just came out of nowhere, with no flowers 50 feet from it which interested me. It could be a sign of new life in uncertain times or a reminder that a loved one is looking down or just a sign of happiness.

The remainder of the swing set that stood close to the flower was all I needed to be happier when I was young. My parents could set me out in the yard with my cousins and friends and watch me play happily for hours. The swing set grew older, as did I and other things filled my minds such as electronics and school. Even though the swings were destroyed by a tree falling, the slide remained and stands as an image of how easier happiness came with simplicity.

As we grow older it becomes harder and harder to be truly happy with a massive smile on our face. With the daily grind of work/school, family, social life and future on our minds it is hard to clear the mind and just be happy. The flower gave me a spark of happiness on this cloudy day and reminded me of how happiness can be attained by just stepping outside of the normal routine and clearing the mind to think happier thoughts.

Miguel Palacios