Yesterday, I lived in Wonderland. I wandered through the forest with Alice. I was a young girl, grasping tightly to innocence. I dreamed that I lived in a world of my own, a world where everything was the complete opposite of what is. My imagination consumed me. I fantasized of untainted bliss. I was curious to find out more, to discover what exactly was the White Rabbit’s very important date. I searched for my identity, meandering in an unknown land of bizarre creatures like the Mad Hatter. I didn’t know who I would be the next day or what would occur if I suddenly awoke from a dream. My mind soaked up the utter confusion like a sponge and nonsense triumphed over all.

Today, I am sitting on a log at Walden Pond. Henry David Thoreau kneels on the grass next to me. We look out into the distance, admiring the hues of the setting sun. The intensity of the sun awakens me, reminding me that I am truly alive. Mother Nature gives me the gift of life, of merely being, wrapped in a little box and decoratively tied with a ribbon. My existence is simplistic. I ignore time, the twenty-four hours in a day, seven days in a week, as I bathe in the magnificence of the natural environment around me. I discard my wristwatch in order to witness the transformation from the bright sun to the glistening moon. With Thoreau by my side, I am able to forget everything about civilization and simply listen to the sounds of nature.

Tomorrow, I will reside in the Big Apple. I will share a cup of black coffee with Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. We will talk about literature and current events. I will march to the beat of my own drum. If everyone is wearing black sneakers, I will wear neon green. I will be my own person. With a sheet of loose-leaf and a pen in hand, I will write to the tune of my soul. My desire to follow the thoughts that rush through my mind will hold the strength of the caffeine I will consume in a café in New York City, in the city that never sleeps, that never stops screaming its voice to the world beyond.

I live in all of these places, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I fall in love with nature, the foliage in the trees up above, the blanket of pure snow, and the blossoming of fresh, brightly colored flowers. I nestle under a gigantic maple tree with a book in hand, embarking on myriad journeys. I travel into make-believe, encountering absurd characters that add light to my life. I stand on the fine line between fantasy and reality. I am effervescent, immersing myself in the beauty of life. I am a devoted citizen of the Big Apple, Walden Pond, and Wonderland. I am all in one; I am I.