Summer is finally showing its radiant face here in London, and the parks are teeming with life and showcasing their beauty to their fullest extent. Sunlight turns to diamonds as it falls upon the water, while the trees become a soft symphony as the gentle breeze plays upon their leaves. Flowers of spring have turned to soft wisps of white that blanket the green grass in a paradoxical facsimile of snow.
The beauty and serenity of the place creates a delightful atmosphere of carefreeness and whimsy amongst visitors. Businesspeople eat packed lunches on lush patches of green, forgetting the stresses of the workplace as they laugh and converse while the sun warms their faces. Romance and fancy fill the air as couples lounge in each other’s arms, and readers are transported to a world of their choosing through the pages of a good book. Children feed birds from their hands and dash around the park, dodging around picnickers as if they were obstacles on a course. Ice cream vendors dole out cones of icy delight to children and adults alike, creating new memories and arousing wistful nostalgia.
This city and our world are thrilling and marvelous, to be sure. Adventure is always available to those who seek it, and discoveries lie waiting to be uncovered. And yet, amidst the bustle and excitement, inhabitants of this world are also exposed to an atmosphere rife with tension and stress. The unknown, while wondrous and exciting, can also be frightening and imposing. But in the midst of the bustle and despite anxiety for the future, one can always find peace, beauty, and joyful whimsy.