halloween

For not even going trick or treating, Halloween was an absolute blast this year. Being our last year and all, a few of my friends and I took dressing up for school very seriously. We went with a theme, because themes are always more fun, right? Julia was Eeyore, Kelleigh was Tigger, Maireid was Rabbit, I was Winnie the Pooh, Hannah was Piglet, and Calvin was Christopher Robin. The costumes turned out way better than we all anticipated and were such a hit at school! Celebrating holidays and big annual things at school has been so strange this year. Knowing that this was the last time that we'd all be dressing up together, and celebrating together, made it all a little nostalgic. We decorated the grade twelve hallway with streamers, posters, fake cobwebs, and little ghosts, and put little candies on everyone's locks this morning. We've been going all out for everything this year, and it's been really nice for my memory-making heart! I still can't believe that I'm almost two months into my last year of high school. I'm gonna miss these crazies once we've all gone our separate ways. I can't even imagine where we'll all be a year from now.

the pumpkin patch

Last weekend my auntie and I went for a little day trip to visit my cousin and his adorable little family in Victoria. We spent the day at a local pumpkin patch, petting goats, going on a train ride around the park, and picking out some mini pumpkins at the patch. I ended up taking pictures of my little second cousin, Arabella, more than anything, but can you blame me? She's fifteen months old and the sweetest little thing ever. All in all, I had such a good day with family that I don't get to see too often!

five moments

i. It's December. It's cold and dark outside and it feels like it might snow. The world is in black and white. There are toques on our heads, mitts on our hands, and a camera around my neck. We follow the streetlights down to the waterfront, a long enough walk away for our legs to be tired. We sit on the cold pavement on top of the staircase that looks like a boat's sail and shed a pair of mittens. We talked about life, one of those conversations that leaves you feeling so free, where you can let out all of your worries and theories and thoughts. Somehow, the idea that when we look up into the sky we're not looking up, but rather down into the eternal abyss that is the galaxy comes up and we spend a good amount of time trying to process that as we stare at the stars.

ii. It's early in the morning. The sun hasn't yet surfaced, but the light off of it has, and all different shades of purple and pink and orange reflect on the mighty pacific. The mountains in front of us are abundant and the birds flying over the glass-like water add a sort of serenity that couldn't be planned. We dipped our toes into the ocean to see what we were in for and slowly walked out towards the mountains. It was cold, but we were determined. We made a promise to completely submerge ourselves in the water, and on the count of three, felt the cold morning's water on our ears, our hair swaying around us like it does.

iii. It's May now. We're on a mountain overlooking a valley of sorts. It's been drizzling for the past half an hour or so. We rode the quad to this location, sort of planning as we go, not exactly knowing where we'd end up. It's beautiful though. We've been camping for the past two days and haven't washed our hair, gotten dressed, or worn makeup since we've been here. Somehow though, out there on that mountain, overlooking the never-ending greenery before us, we felt more beautiful than ever.

iv. It's June. School has just ended and we were going on our first adventure of the summer. A road trip. Maybe just a few hours away, but a road trip nonetheless. When we got to the beaches of Tofino, it was raining. The sky was dark and grey, but in the beautiful way that you can still see the hazy light of the sun trying to make it's way through, and it was cold and windy. We walked those beaches and took photos, and after a long time of cold, wind, and rain, the sun finally managed to break through and shine it's brilliant hazy light over the beach and rocks. It was beautiful.

 

v. It's evening time, and the sun has just started to make it's descent. I'm in Munich, with one of my very best friends in the entire world. We're at Oktoberfest, walking around the fairgrounds looking for souvenirs. It's my last night here and it feels special. We go on the swing ride to start, feeling infinite as we swing around and around, putting our arms out like birds, leaning our heads back to laugh. I don't think I stopped smiling the whole time.

 

These are five moments. Five moments of many that seemed to etch themselves so vividly into my memory. Five moments where I felt truly and infinitely alive. 

it's fall now

It's fall now. The transition from summer to fall is always strange to me, no matter how many times I live through it. One day you're laying in bed mid-morning, the window wide open, warm air and hazy sunlight filling the room, and the next, your alarm is going off at seven in the morning, and you're heading to school, hiding your face from the brisk wind, a warm mug of tea in hand. It seems to happen so suddenly. From sunshine and warmth to rain and cold. If the feeling of nostalgia could be put into a season, to me, it would be fall. There's something special about the way you feel in the fall, and I'm happy that it's here. 

munich

Last month I flew to Germany on my own to stay with people that I met less than eight months ago. When I phrase it like that, it sounds insane, but when I think of all that has happened in these past eight months and the friendships that have grown so incredibly strong since then, strong enough to fly halfway across the world for five days to see each other again, I can't help but feel so grateful and blessed. These friendships are the absolute definition of bittersweet, but I am so, so thankful for them and the opportunities and adventures that they bring. 

This is Munich, or München, as it's called by the Germans, and it's a dream. I tried to describe it to a friend, but cobblestone paths, the most beautiful buildings, and an awesome vibe just doesn't do this place justice. I had the time of my life in the five days I spent there with my favourite people.

I've tried and tried again to write about my time and experiences there, but I keep coming up short. There just aren't any words for what we did, how I felt, and what it was like, except for those scrawled across several pages in my journal. Maybe one day I'll find the right words to share, but for now, I'm okay with those memories being just mine.