Personal Narrative: The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

The wet tiles that were beneath my feet felt cold, and moist. The locker room was filled with the sound of scalding water slapping the tile floor harshly. The room felt hot and humid like a summer day in Florida. I could feel my anxiety burning within me, in the same way a fire burns down a forest. It grows profusely worse as the second hand on the clock above my locker ticks away. I quickly changed into my swim trunks, and crept into the swimming area with fear and anticipation. I tiptoed my way down the stairs that led into the pool. I could feel the brisk water slowly creep up my leg as I forced myself deeper and deeper. I was on my way to my mother who was going to try and teach me how to do a back float. I remember tipping

I dove through the cold currents, feeling my hands create an opening through the water. I closed my aching eyes and let the water submerge me, pulling me in. The sun cast shadows on the floor of the pool, shifting every now and then. I could feel the warmth of the sun as I swam further. I sighed, deeply content.

The clearing was quiet, it seemed lifeless. The Salinas River still flowed merrily near the hillside. The water was still warm from the afternoon sun, and still reflected a green hue. On one side of the river, the smooth foothill slopes still curved up to the strong and rocky Gabilan Mountains, and the other side was still lined with trees. The willows and sycamore branches still swung gently in the wind, and the leaves still created a green light within the space. It was totally calm and peaceful… but something was wrong. The air seemed heavier, and the sun seemed dimmer. No animals stirred, and everything seemed to be aware of a deep sadness. Nothing moved save for a small group of men standing around an unmoving figure.

As the wind brushed the back of my dress, I turned around to overlook the waves of golden ocean, pouring into the small town I called home. But, my eyes became fixed on the sun. It was so wonderful, so beautiful as it rose out of its slumber in the mountains. I always felt the sun’s warmth on my cloudy white dress, and I loved how it always felt like my father’s hugs.

It was day two on the Appalachian Trail. The rich robust smell of pine permeated the air. The Sparrows caroled, and the soothing warm glow of the sun, warmed my body as the elevation increased. I was completely engulfed in nature. As the trail progressed, a couple friends and I reached the first cairn. We were 500 feet from the summit of Mt. Avery. We soon took our last steps, lowered our bags, and shared smiles. Immediately we were taken hold of by the ear ringing silence. Not a gust of wind, nor a chirp from a bird, it was complete serenity. As we took in the view I realized something that changed me completely. I was

I was young enough to still feel excited when a woman sat next to me. The beer had run out, but she and I didn’t need anymore. I wanted to forget that anything existed outside of that moment in the darkness. We were alone with only the smooth wooden boards of the dock, the night air and each other for the rest of the night.

We’re going to visit Washington D.C since my aunt and uncle moved there for their jobs last summer. We have to go on a plane and i’m so excited! I can’t stop thinking about all of the monuments and memorials i’ll see there. This is probably going to be the best 2 weeks of my life! I hope I have a great time.

Memorial pool smell the chlorine lots of yelling. Life guards lots of steam lots of heat. I smell the chlorine right when I enter the. Memorial pool and feel the heat and see the steam. As I get out of the locker room I can already hear the life guards yell.

One day last summer me and my family went to the pool in iowa falls. It was me my brother Dakota my sisters Aubrey and Brooklynn my step mom and my dad. I went to jump off the diving board. I did a few diffrent things including a backflip,dive and a couple of front flips.

So about 5 years ago it was the last day of school for me and i was excited for my summer to begin. My parents had plan a trip for the family to go visit the US Capitol, The Lincoln Memorial,and the Washington Monument and family that we have up there.For the 4 hour drive we finally got there and trust me I was very excited to be there. So our first stop was the Lincoln Memorial and I thought it was smaller than it looked in movies or pictures that I seen before.Next we went to the Washington Monument I think that was the only one i really wanted to see so i took so lots pictures and video to save to show to my friends when i got back to school. Lastly we the to the US Capitol there was so many steps to get to the actual place so we got there, there was so many paintings on the ceiling first i was confused on about how they got all the way up there to paint that.So it was time to go so me and my oldest cousin that was two years older than me at the time decided we wanted to run down the steps.

Everything seemed so peaceful but yet so quiet. The sky was a clear, cloudless blue. There was a light breeze that seemed to caress whatever it blew upon.

had jumped into the 8ft pool and he did not know how to swim. I looked at him for a second and he came back up and was coughing. I looked around me and saw my mom and kept yelling "Mom, Sam is drowning!" She looked like she couldn't hear me so I knew I had to jump in and try to save him from drowning. As I jumped in I opened my eyes and saw him trying to get up so I went under him and pushed him up. When he got up it was my turn to try to save him from drowning. As I jumped in I opened my eyes and saw him trying to get up so I went under him and pushed him up. When he got up it was my turn to try and save myself. At that momebt I just thought to myself, how was I going to get back up? All i remember after that i closed my eyes and felt someone

I headed out to the water after setting up my towel. The shock of the frigid water took my breath away and I was momentarily stunned. However, I quickly recovered; finding my body adjusts rapidly to the cold water. I waded a few feet into it before leaning forward and swimming out. I didn't dare to go too far though, instead turning to swim parallel to the shore. I was comforted by the sounds of the ocean; the rhythmic pounding of the waves represses all of my worries. I looked into the cloudless cerulean blue sky and see the perfection of life. Just when I was starting to get tired and wanted to go back to the shore, I saw something.

A ways away from a town that I call home, I found a happy place. I often find myself walking through the park by myself. The beautiful trees, the way the yellow and red leaves crumple under my feet every step I take. When the flowers bloom and how it's the most spectacular sight you could ever imagine seeing, all the different colors that appear. When you breathe in and you get this smell of purity, you feel free and alive. Sometimes I like to sit on the old wooden bench where the bench frame is a little rusted, and I get rid of my thoughts and my eyes search the sky. In the winter the icy breeze makes me shiver, and the cold air I take in, is like sitting in front of an air conditioner and breathing in. Some mornings the sun beams across the sky, which is not quite blue yet, but the sun has almost fully risen. When the wind blows, it grazes over the blades of grass. Some days I just stand and take a deep breath in and I can taste the spring. When summer comes around, and the bees are buzzing, and the hot sun beats on the back of my neck, I lay on the soft grass and listen, to the birds chirping a beautiful song, and the kids playing in the park. The sky is the bluest view in sight.

In the beginning the silence was empty and lacking. After a lifetime of togetherness, the lonely feeling of isolation cut deep within me. To have a mind of my own was both invigorating and petrifying, thoughts echoing far enough in the vastness to be lost on their own