[ethium]

username: ethium
name: Eurielle
gender: female
thought process:
the knowledge of places far away, undiscovered and new
has always been something that has driven me to great lengths
just to experience. Im a traveler, a seeker and staying in one spot
too long is enough to truly shatter my very existence. however i've
always had not only a soft spot, but a connection to the mountainous regions.
having spent around 5 years of my life in said regions, they're incredibly special
to me. and i've always felt far more at peace in the bustling forest on the side of
a mountain, as opposed to by the sea or in a field of valley flowers. Something
about the vibrancy and hustle of the life that those creatures live has always drawn
my attention. To sit in a forest and merely glance around you can see life and living
all around you. Time appears to stand still as you think of how complex and powerful
each of the individual lives around you might have been. Fighting for survival on a mountain
filled with other creatures that might want to eat you. It's astounding and otherworldly, sometimes
hard to grasp when it comes to the right words because in truth there are no right words to describe
the absolute freedom you feel on a mountain. It's the wild and unpredictable freedom that many crave and
others fear, that draws me every single time. Though sometimes these thoughts may come across as overwhelming
i find them oddly calming, reassuring, that yes my life is complex and hard to comprehend but so are the lives around
me. I find solace in the small fact that yes, my life is rough but these creatures face a rough life daily. and they live full
lives without a care in the world. So i can survive, even if life gets rough.

[76heart]

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76heart ● valada bohlale dayo ● female ● she/her ● 1111 words
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bohlale - wisdom ● goddess of sight + fortellings ● dayo - joy arrives
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moments of sonder and silence where nature is at it's best
a time of peace and contemplation at the earth's behest

can you hear the rippling of a creek?
the lilting songs emitting from a bird's curving beak?

the squirrels' sing song chitter chatter?
the way their small feet go pitter patter?

can you see the gentle doe grazing in the fields?
her small fawn bounding gleefully about her heels?

do you see the reeds swaying to and fro,
the breeze kissing them as they go

and stealing strands
to take to exciting far away lands?

can you see the clouds high above,
behind the silhouette of a flying dove?

can you see the way they shift and change,
as they float above an open paradise's range?

does your mind dream of stories as you gaze,
or enter a silent watchful haze?

do you think of worlds inside your head,
the very same ones that visit you in bed?

or do you simply lay and watch the world go by,
and admire the rare cranes and herons as they fly?

no matter what you do i hope you find a place of tranquility,
a place where you can simply just be

because in those moments of peace i find,
a most perfect, beautiful peace of mind

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At first, when I saw the prompt, I came to the conclusion that these special, magnificent moments were rare for me, at least as things are in my life now, because my mind rarely ceases it's thoughts and just finds a place of quiet, and I'm always thinking of something, but as I've put more thought into this over the past few days, I've realized that that's not really true; I have them far more often than I previously thought.

What is still very true however, is that my mind rarely shuts off. I'm almost always thinking about the characters and stories I write with my wonderful writing friend, because I'm still healing from a lot that's happened, and right now writing and talking with her is what heals me the most, and if it's not that, it's usually past things that have happened, or things regarding kalons. Even if I'm gazing up at the sky, or watching the birds or squirrels run around, my mind never really stops and pauses to take a moment and breathe, it's always running off with ideas. It's a part of why I love to write, why I love to tell stories, because it gets things out of my head. Oftentimes I'll just suddenly get a sentence, and if I'm not able to write it down right away, it gets repeated in my head over and over so I don't forget it, and refined until I'm able to put it down, and more often than not it's usually joined by a few more. The first part to the poem, and the beginning of this ramble-y bit are actually examples of that; I was just sitting in the bathroom, not using it or anything, just in there alone because it's a quiet place where my mind can settle without loads of distractions like I get everywhere else, save for the window that I find myself frequently looking out. I was watching squirrels gather some bird seed that had fallen from our backyard bird feeder when I came up with the pitter-patter bit, and the bits before just flowed out with it after. I suppose those are some of my most at peace moments, along with the times I'll just be laying in bed for ages after I wake up, just gazing out the window and watching the tree branches move as I lay there with my cat Mango just happily purring on my feet. I'm not really thinking anything then, just being, and sometimes planning things or scenes for my characters. Nighttime also seems to be a time where I find a great peace as well, far more than I do during the day. The day is busy; filled with people and sounds and movements and colors, but the night is quiet, serene, peaceful. The world is sleeping. I find I write best then, and while it's likely not the kind of moment you're referring to, I really do find peace in those times, and it's what I'm doing right now honestly. I use to have to fight so much to be able to have these moments, to be able to write at all, and I'm able to have them now, and it's just wonderful.

Moments where I can truly just pause my racing thoughts though, are really treasures to me, just as the peaceful times of writing are. I'm just watching a bird or a squirrel or even the trees swaying with the breeze, and it's lovely. Sometimes I'll sit outside with my cat and just watch the world, and when I was little and waiting with my dad outside for my mom to come home from her music sessions on Monday nights, he would calm me by us just watching the world go by on our glider. Those moments also really stick with me, and I really remember them.
Once, a couple years ago, I was just looking out the bathroom window, watching the nature, and there was this gigantic deer, bigger than any I've ever seen. The deer stood under a tree, staring straight at me through the window, with beautiful antlers, and the world just seemed to stop. I went outside to see it better, and maybe make friends, but of course it ran, though not before stopping to stare at me from across the wild part of our yard. That moment has stuck with me for so long, and is just so special. It's like the world stopped in that moment, just froze, and all that moved and existed was me and the deer. I still think there was something magical going on there, something I just can't explain, like a spirit almost.
Another thing that came to me as I was thinking about this, is when I was trail riding, and my ankles began to really ache, so I just took them out of the stirrups as we were going over a hill. At first I was really anxious, but then I was able to relax, and I just felt this beautiful sense of peace. I wasn't thinking, I was just watching, looking, feeling, and focusing on the sway of the horse beneath me. I wish I could find the words to describe how wonderful that was, and how free it felt. Though there were others around, it was just the horse and me.

[cribunni]

aloe~ || Bonsaii [ bawn • zeye ] || male

Sun filtered through the deep orange and red hued leaves, sending shadowed figures onto the forest floor to flash their devilish smiles. I don’t notice them, steps heavily medicated and labored. The world around me bends at the touch of my breath. My feet carry me through the golden field, sun rays lost to the endless horizon of golden stocks. Somewhere in the distance, a vulture calls; the birds in the trees silence at this omen of death. I stumble toward the noise, unafraid of what may lay ahead of me. I began to float, my reality flipping itself over. For a moment, my feet dance in the clouds. Or maybe I just imagined it. I arrive at the peak of a small incline, the field was sparse here. On the other side of the hill, the ground was scorched to a charcoal black. The once golden stocks still stood, their dark skeletons casting thin shadows. A shudder runs down my spine as the vulture appears, scarlet eyes holding more intelligence than I’d appreciate from the animal. It opens its beak, it’s shattering call snapping the sky in two. It raises itself high on its talons, beginning to grow. I’m not sure how long it expands, but it stands at the height of an oak tree before me. It’s feathers wilt like leaves, turning brown as they float to the ground and fall to pieces. Beneath are glowing gold feathers to replace them, and a wise oval head. The owl opens its wings, stretching them to embody what seems like the whole planet. It’s eyes, still the ruby red of blood, lock with mine. I hear a whispering voice in the back of my head, my thoughts drowning out it’s words. The owl is surrounded by an aura, glowing more brightly than the sun ever could wish to. It flaps its mile-long wings, lifting into the air. It soars into the crystal blue sky, it’s light blinding me. As I reopen my burning eyes, I notice gold all around me. The field had grown in size, the stocks stood tall and thick, like the trunks of trees. The vulture call rings through the air once more, this time the before silenced birds find their voices once again. The shadows wave from beneath the stocks, devilish smiles glowing in the dark.
-
I wake with a start, lurching forward. My hands grasp at the ground, pulling up stocks from the dirt. I uneasily stand, the bright sun burning my eyes. I began to walk towards my house, an unidentified voice calling my name. I look to the sky, surprised to see the pastel blue replaced with a rich golden color. As I squint, I seem to make out the details of feathers. I blink again, and the sky is back to normal. Maybe I imagined it.

[ 475/1,000 ]

[22tabby]

Mark

[Decca]

BIG MARK

[vanilla bean.]

username: uwu.
name: vynne
gender: female
thought process:

at time life can get very stressful, and i get caught up in things that should not matter as much as i think they do.

while sometimes a walk can clear my head for me, there is one place that always keeps me grounded, and gives me such a sense of calm. Even thinking about it right now brings tears to my eyes, as it reminds me to let go and is so stabilizing. on these days when I need such a calm, I head to my local conservatory, about a 20 minute walk away. I have free admission from my university, but my favorite place there is the public garden that everyone can get into. It honestly surprises me how few people I see there. Maybe they just don't know about it?

Either way, this garden is set up with some meandering paved paths, and a few hidden dirt paths. There is a large tent sometimes used for weddings and events, with a few tables and often a family or two. If you follow the path from the tent, you end up down a ledge and in front of a round fountain with lillies and coins, glittering like gold. There are little bench swings as well, painted white with a terrace of roses above them. If you walk through the tent, you'll end up in front of a wishing well, with spitting fish. This area has always seemed the most magical to me, it always gets cooler around it. (but maybe that's just the water). I always say something positive to myself when I get here, and carry that feeling with me when I leave.

My favorite part of this garden, however, is a circular area with tall flowering plants that conceal it. I sit here and watch chipmunks scurry around and chase each other, while I take in the sun and watch the plants sway in the gentle breeze. My mind immediately feels at ease, and if I'm especially stressed, I might cry softly. Not because I'm sad, but the relief just feels so wonderful. College stress is real! I never have to worry about anyone interrupting me, because this spot is on the far side of the garden, and very few people come back to that part. I'm truly thankful for this safe space for my mind to relax, and for me to feel true peace.
(please try to keep this under 1000 words, but you definitely DO NOT need to use all 1000.)

[Placebo]

Mark

[cyborgishly]

username: cyborgishly
name:
gender: male
thought process:
(please try to keep this under 1000 words, but you definitely DO NOT need to use all 1000.)

[KokichiOma]

mark hhh

[the spoopy gengar]

username: the spoopy gengar
name: amber
gender: female
thought process:

i dont have many time of myself so this is a feeling that i really missed
usually when im alone,laying in my bed
many thoughts come and go
other ones i want to forget, other ones that i want to keep
these times most of them are the ones to forget

then i realize if this really matters
if tomorrow i die, where i will go?
a black abyss where i will stay forever?
i want to figure it out, but when my time will come?

other times i just have regrets
maybe if i did that they wont be mad at me
maybe if i didnt sayed that i would havent lost her
maybe if i didnt existed this could never happen

my head its a pretty wild place
so peace is what i want to achieve
life is really stressful and hits me really bad when dark times arrive
im really closed,shy and anxious
thinking about other reality is want i do most of the time
or just clean up my mind of negativity and cry under the shower

(ill probably add more since it really helps me to drop my emotional bucket)