1)
My Bench
At first, I had
difficulty choosing a bench because I couldn’t think of a bench, or a place
with a bench, that had a lot of meaning to me. I was trying to think of a place
that I often go, or a bench that I often see but I was left with no ideas. I
was walking out of school one day when I noticed a bench in front of the
school. It was a bench that I was very much aware of and had even sat on
before, but one that I had never really given much thought to. I realized then
that although I didn’t have much of a history with this specific bench, its
location was at a place that did. Sutherland has been a large part of my life
for the past five years. It’s the place I’ve spent the most time at in the last
five years besides my house. It’s a place where I’ve grown and changed and made
friends and memories I will never forget. And this bench has been present for
it all. Sitting right outside the school, unaware of all these things happening
through the front doors of the building. This bench rests outside the gym,
right next to an identical to one just to the left of it. In front of it, lays
a concrete path where every day, students pass. It’s mad out of long planks of
wood that curve up to make a seat. It has a grey metal base that holds the
bench together and creates armrests. The wood planks on the seat of the bench
have weathering and are faded in colour in the centre from the use of it.
Behind the bench lays a strip of garden with small bushes planted in a row.
2)
The View
When I’m
sitting on the bench I can see the front grounds of Sutherland Secondary
School. It’s a different view at every time of the day. Its view reminds me of
an ocean. Sometimes it can be still and calm and completely silent. Other times
it can be chaos, with students running around laughing and talking, parents
speeding away in cars. This bench in present for it all. When I sit on the
bench and look out, I see the vast building of Sutherland to my left, straight
ahead I see the front of the school, lots of grass, pathways, cars fill the
parking lot nearby. In the distance, trees line the street ahead and another
parking lot expands into a concrete horizon. Straight ahead, a tall totem pole
stands a couple yards away and nearby a flagpole rests with the Canadian flag
flapping proudly in the wind. When I look out from my place on the bench, I
feel a variety of emotions, I feel relieved when the school day is over, I feel
stressed if I have impending tests or projects, and I feel happy if the sunshine
is beaming down on my face. Much of my emotions with this bench are based on
school since it’s in such close proximity. My emotions on the bench are also
based on the weather because I find that sitting on a bench in sunshine is
enjoyable but sitting on a bench in the rain can feel gloomy and dreary. When I
sit on the bench, I don’t think about anything in particular other than what’s
on my mind. It usually has to do with school or something happening in my life
that’s causing me excitement or sadness or stress or any strong kind of
emotion. It gives me time to think without distractions. From the bench, my
mind usually makes me want to be with my friends. This place is a location that
I’m constantly surrounded by my friends so when I sit on this bench alone, It
reminds me that I want to be around them.
3)
A Bench Dedicated
to Me
If I bench
were dedicated to me, I would like my bench to be in Disneyland in California.
I chose this location because of the feeling I get when I’m in Disneyland and
the joy I see in others when I’m there. There’s something truly magical about
the parks that radiates through everyone there. My bench would constantly be
surrounded by people from all over the world and of every age from old to
young. At this location, my bench would always be able to be used all day long
by the busy crowds of people roaming the park. If my bench were there, I could
trust that it would be well taken care of and maintained by park employees. If
I could choose an inscription for my bench, I would say “Don’t let your dreams
be dreams.” It’s a short and simple quote that fits the theme of the park and
inspires the passersby who will read it. California is one of my favourite
places in the world and if I were to leave a bench in my name that would be
there for years to come, I would be happy to know that my bench would be left
in the sunshine surrounded by happy faces and swaying palm trees. If a bench
were dedicated to me, I would like the bench to be dedicated before I passed
away so that I could see and visit my bench and be able to experience what I’ll
be leaving behind.
4)
A Bench
Dedicated to Her
If I
dedicated a bench to somebody, I would want to put it in a location that means
a lot to that person or a place that they often went. If we had a place that
the two of us shared memories at or often went to together, then I would want
the bench to go there. I would want the inscription to be something that
relates to the person I am dedicating the bench to. If they have a favourite
quote or saying, or again if there’s a certain quote we share, then I would
want that to be written on the bench. I wouldn’t want the quote to be too
personal or specific to us, so that other people could read it and enjoy it as
well. If I were to dedicate a bench to someone, it would probably be to my
sister. She loves exploring the outdoors and being surrounded by nature, so a
bench would be something she could appreciate. If I were to dedicate it to her,
I wouldn’t want it to be a surprise because I would want her input on the
location and inscription of the bench. I would want it to be something I was
sure she would enjoy and besides, I’ve never been that good at surprises
anyway. The kind of location that would be good for a bench dedicated to her
would be in a remote area near mountains with a view of the ocean. She would
want it to be like a hidden gem and would love if it were at the top of a hike
so it would be a hidden gem for people to discover. She would want the
inscription to be something mysterious so that when people read it, it would
give them something to think about and could be interoperated differently by
different people.
5)
My Visit
Visiting my
bench is not a difficult task since I pass by it 5 days a week. When I go on
visits to my bench, it’s always after school so I’m already at its location.
When I went to visit this bench to write notes on it for my project, it was a
rainy day so the bench was darker in colour than usual because the wood was
wet. When I went outside to take a look at it, the sun had come out and was
shining brightly. The grass looked extra green from the view from bench and the
raindrops left a dewy glow across the ground. It was lunchtime, so there were
other students outside the school, but not as many as usual since it has been
raining. Most students either walked across the crosswalk leading away from the
school or they stayed under covered areas to eat their lunches with friends. Some
of my friends passed me on their way to the parking lot and stopped to talk to
me before they left for the day. A few clouds hung in the sky making the day
bright but slightly grey.
6)
A Poem to My Bench
All the World’s a Stage by
William Shakespeare
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the
justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans
taste, sans everything.
I chose this poem because I
felt that it related to my feelings of the bench. To me, this bench connects to
my high school experience; a stage in my life. This poem is all about the
different stages in life and how school is just one of them. It may feel like a
lot of things are changing right now and although they are, these are changes
that everyone must go through as they transition into the next stage of their
life. Some people may have very different lives than the one in this poem, including
myself, but everyone grows older and faces moments in life when they need to
graduate from one thing and move on to another. The thought can feel
intimidating but it’s good to remember that there is so much more to come in
life.
7)
Personal Philosophy
This poem
connects to my personal philosophy of life because it gives a positive attitude
towards the future. I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason
and that everything that’s meant to be will be. By the way this poem speaks
about his life and the way that everything transitions into each other reminds
me that his life works out that way because that’s how it’s meant to happen.
People all change throughout their lives and “One man in his time plays many
parts,” to fit whatever part of the “play” or life he is at. Things might not
always be good in your life and some stages may be better than others but they
all have positives and negatives and in the end, you’ll be exactly where you
need to be. Sometimes people are so focused on one thing that they don’t notice
other parts of “the play” or life. We have to trust that everything will find a
way to lead and prepare us into our next stage and that everything will work
itself out in the end. Anything that doesn’t seem like it should’ve happened in
our lives probably happened so that something else could but we’re too
distracted to notice. Whatever is meant to be, will find a way to work it’s way
into our lives.
8)
Parks
The purpose
of a park is to create a space of nature for people to visit and use for fun.
It’s a place that people of all ages can go and do whatever it is they want to
do outside. They can eat, or play, or dance or think or just go and be. Parks
create a safe environment so that people can enjoy the space and get fresh air.
Parks also create protected nature space that is filled with life of plants and
animals that might not otherwise be there if the land was developed. There are
all kinds of parks around the world including small parks, massive parks, busy
parks, remote parks, grass parks, amusement parks, water parks, and so many
more. There’s a kind of park for every different person on every different
occasion. I think that parks are an excellent source of nature and that it’s a
very positive thing to have them. I love that parks can be found all over the
world even in the middle of urban jungles such as New York. National parks work
to protect land and can be very educational for visitors to learn about
different types of plants and animals. They also create habitats for animals to
ensure that their homes aren’t being wiped out and developed. I have been to
countless parks in my life to do anything from building a snowman, to lying out
on a towel and tanning while I read my book. Parks are an excellent place for
people to get together with friends and family and enjoy the world.
9)
Reflection
Poem
High School
Bench
Silence
echoes in the dark of night
All the way
through to dawn’s first light
When the morning
comes and day breaks
The silence
in punctured as the world awakes
The children
arrive and pass me by
Blissfully
unaware of my eye
I’ve seen
them all but they’d never know
I’ve watched
them change and seen them grow
From the
first of September when they arrive
To the last
day of June repeated to five
I go
unnoticed while they stare at their screens
Or laugh
with their friends like typical teens
I’m there
for them whenever they need me
They rest
upon me and take a seat on my knee
There comes
a time when they’ll all leave me
They’ll walk
past one last time then be completely free
They all
move away from their childhood
Leaving me
where I’ve always stood
I’ll always
be in my little haven
Bolted to the
ground I’ll forever stay in
