As I sit in my living room staring out into the beautiful sunny day I hear the birds chirping and the wind blowing through the bare branches that have survived through yet another harsh Ohio winter. Our fast paced busy days are filled with so many things that we seem to miss out on the natural beauty all around us. Some days I find it hard to understand the world we live in. For many months I feel as though I have been trapped inside in an attempt to protect myself from the freezing temperatures and the deep snow. Today is one of the first real spring days and i have been so caught up in my lazy couch filled days that my first instinct is to flip on the TV and see what mindless shows I can fill my time with. For the first time in I don't even know how long, I decided to sit in complete silence. I opened the blinds cracked some windows and soaked in the morning. So many times I have listened to my mother tell me to turn the TV off and enjoy the day. Of course as most children do, i completely ignored her motherly wisdom. I continued to go about my day as I pleased, wasting away every moment i could have accomplished something positive and instead doing absolutely nothing but sit in front of the TV or computer until before i knew it my day was over. Finally after doing things my way for so long i decided that I was going to take that advice, and I am so glad that I did. Starting my day with the quiet serenity of the outdoors gave me the peace to go forward with my day in a positive way. So many days i feel consumed and worn down by the repetitiveness of my daily routine. So often i feel defeated. I want to throw in the towel and dramatically exit never to return. However, life doesn't work that way. Waking up and starting my morning right gave me the time to think and prepare for my day so that i didn't get to that point. I was ready to tackle whatever might come my way. For the first time i really understand what my mom was trying to get me to see. Nobody lives an easy stress free life but preparing for each individual day in a positive way helps us feel at peace. I know that this wont take away the worries of my day to day life however it will allow me to approach things in a healthy way. A simple thing as listening to the world beyond our televisions and computers may not be a life changing experience however, it is eye opening. we need to not be consumed with mindless things. There is so much more to life than soap operas and reality TV. It's time we reintroduce ourselves to the wonderful outdoors. Take a walk, go to the park, or even just sit outside and let the breeze refresh even the most tiring days. Bask in the sunshine and remember what life was like in a more simple time when we weren't allowed to sit inside and waste the day away.