A pond; a reflective source of water and life amidst Earth which most humans take for granted. Yet, people endlessly attempt to achieve goals of peace in their lives without utilizing the tools given by mother nature. A duck pond resides alone, standing apart from its surroundings, polluted by humans and machines. With an intent of curiosity, I attempted to explore the Duck Pond and enter boundaries usually ignored by most people. The duck pond was sloped deeper inward to the Earth, with buildings and roads surrounding the surface above it. As I descended a turning concrete path to the center of the pond I was immersed by the trees and plants around me, separating oneself from the manmade chaos surrounding the outside world.

The serene stillness of water immediately commanded my attention, which was intriguing, as the pond was as silent as night. Approaching from under a manmade bridge, a form of life made itself present. Four ducks guided themselves through the water floating above the water similarly to that of a modern boat. They calmly let the pond's ripples guide them, and left a temporary streak of water behind them to mark their path of travel. Emerging from the trees different species of birds chirped as if they were jealous, calling for my attention. The pond appeared as if it had been untouched for an eternity, with ancient ruins of past years resting at the bottom. From a wide range of animals to plants a simple duck pond was overwhelming. Of all that was present at the duck pond, one aspect caught my attention above all; the water. The enthralling diversity of water in the was a result of the aesthetic architecture of the pond. While walking along the shore of the pond, the water was clear, acting as a window to view the substances underneath. As one further from the shoreline of the pond, the water would increasingly become darker. From multiple vantage points around the pond, I was able to observe that the pond was primarily constructed of dirt and rocks ranging in sizes. As I continued my exploration of the pond I was able to notice two turtles emerge from the water (likely for oxygen). After floating above water for a few seconds they submerged back into the hidden realms of the center of the pond. I was curious to discover what was being concealed by the dark water in the center of the pond. A feeling of interest, likely due to the fact that I am human, and will never be able to live in the pond as a turtle. As I continued journeying around the pond a small leaf caught my attention. I glanced at it as I was walking, and the next second it disappeared. I was immediately enlightened and confused by this act of disappearing. As I investigated I discovered a small circle in the water, which displayed a turning motion: a whirlpool. This small but significant whirlpool formed in the pond due to a drainage pipe nearby. The whirlpool was acting as if imitating a black hole, trapping all life around it to its center, and making a substance disappear forever. This whirlpool was an adaptation of nature, branching from the horrid natural disasters of hurricanes and tornadoes, as those act in a similar manner. As I was captivated by this whirlpool, its endless rotation spited me to attempt to cease it. I grabbed a small rock from the path I was standing on and threw it into the center of the whirlpool to observe what would happen. As expected, the rock became imprisoned by the whirlpool and eventually got sucked to the depths of the pond.

As I ventured the perimeter of the pond a stream of water made itself clear, camouflaged by the nature around it. The water led to the center of the pond with the continuous flow of water dancing and leaping off the terrain that marked its trail. The soothing flow of wind and the nature of the duck pond was a portal to connect to a deeper meaning of life and the soul of a human.