In these modern times, there is often little time to pause, reflect, and contemplate the significance—and insanity—of our lives. In these precious moments, I can calm the constantly raging storm of stressful thoughts waging in my mind, and put everything into perspective. I am thankful for these fleeting moments of clarity and the island of stillness that they provide amidst our perpetually-moving lives.

Typically, I stumble upon these moments on a rainy fall day—black coffee in hand—when all is quiet but for the pitter-patter of rain drops. I then sit in from of my rather large bay window, and simply watch the rain descend from the cloudy sky onto the partially saturated ground below. Suddenly time seems to slow, and I feel that I have the time to stop and appreciate the passing beauty of Seattle’s rain.

As it usually does—and I like to think others do too—my mind begins to wander, drifting to the things that have plagued my mind of late. At this time, however, these thoughts glance past me instead of staying to build upon my stress. For this serene moment to put things to rest, I simply cannot express my gratitude in words.

After time trickles by for a little longer, I eventually stand back up, finish the last gulp of my coffee, and get back on the hamster wheel of homework, school, and sleep. While I can’t say that I enjoy this endless cycle of high school life, I will always have those passing moments of solace to keep me going.

My thankfulness for the occasional time I have to reflect on life is a sincere one, and I forever hope that these moments visit frequently, depart late, and leave me with the same calm it always has.