Glad I Did

Narrative Essay Don't live with what if..

Missing out on an experience could possibly haunt you forever. Whatever the circumstance, if you miss an opportunity you're forever stuck with the dreaded "what ifs".

One crisp summer, I lay in my bed like a vegetable, television hot enough to cook an egg. My mother was growing increasingly weary of me being inactive during my summer vacation. She proposed that I take a trip with a youth group associated with my high school that my brother was a past member of. I initially whined and protested that I had a right to drool over cartoon marathons if I pleased!

The argument didn't end in my favor. I joined the youth group in a road trip to visit the Yosemite National Park for a couple weeks. I felt like leaving behind my precious technologies to venture the barren wilderness was clearly a plot to kill me, arranged by my own mother. That feeling of betrayal quickly subsided as we arrived.

The six of us, three teens and three men hiked in the tall forested ranges. Trekking against dirt, gravel and using iodine to purify water we'd retrieve from the murky ravines. Sleeping next to two huge waterfalls by our second night, I had the pleasure to hear nature's lullaby. The sound of the water splattering against the rocks continuously lulled me to a deep relaxed state. I gazed at the stars, which shone at me like newly cut diamonds. We spotted deer the next morning, watching its brawny tan body as it grazed the ground for food. Such a majestic and quiet creature gave me inner peace I seldom felt up until that point.

At the end of the trip, we traveled back home. Once I returned home, I felt a sadness. I missed the bright gleaming stars, which in the city are dulled by the many street-lamps. The waterfalls I especially missed, and its soothing sounds, which were replaced by the urban sounds of revving vehicle engines.

I have not returned to the Yosemite National Park since that visit. But I know how much I would have regret it if I did whine and cry enough and missed out. It's an experience I would never take back.

Reviews

[aramis360]

I think you are on the verge of being a damn good writer. Your sentences are clear and concise. You do not fluff. For example, your sentence "Once I returned home, I felt a sadness. I missed the..." This is clear, to the point, and the mood it purveys compliments the story.

I advise you to not only read good writing, but poor writing as well. Poor writing will show you how the mistakes we often make, such as adding fluff, rambling, poor grammar and punctuation, affect the quality of writing. I believe this could help elevate you to the next level.

[makoy]

This one has great effect on me. I suddenly realize I miss home. I miss being a child. I miss the exciting trips and adventure only the wilderness can provide. Keep writing!

[Christopher Zayn]

That's what I was hoping for! Glad you enjoyed