Evergreen Park

Most people would be envious to take time out of their day, and simply walk through their local park. Most would also be jealous of the lavish and yet quaint park I get to walk through. People would describe Evergreen Park as somewhat of a hidden oasis. The high brick wall separates the illustrious gardens from the street, so most driving by wouldn’t notice it. But if you simply took the time to look over the wall, you surely wouldn’t regret it. Evergreen was an escape for most people. The trail was something you would never forget. The park was a place for everybody and anybody to enjoy. Yes, some would say you could get lost in the beauty of the park. I, Amber Waters, would be grouped in that category for sure. 

I had had many memories in this park. From taking some of my very first steps to sneaking out with a boyfriend, this park and I had been through it all. The entire place was very much nostalgic. This place had a special place in my heart, along with the rest of my family. 

The earliest memory I had of the park was when I was five. My mother and father decided to bring me and my older sister—who was seven—to the park to have a picnic. We started to walk the trail or, in my case, be carried along the trail. We made it in front of a breathtaking water fall with a charming picnic bench strategically placed in front of it. We all sat down, and began to dig into some food. My memory gets a little faded from there seeing I was five, but I vividly remember the waterfall. My head, at the time, could not wrap around the fact that water was falling so powerfully. The sound could drown out my voice within minutes. I remember wanting to jump over the wooden ledge and dive into the beauty that was the waterfall. The strength was intimidating, but I also embraced and welcomed the same power into my life. I was so mesmerized that my parents had to shake me to look away from it.

I walked by the same exact waterfall that I had many, many years ago, and had the picture of what it had looked like. I saw the power. I saw the strength the waterfall had given me through some tough times. I smiled, but lost it quickly as I passed by the completely dry area. 

One of the more recent memories I had was with my boyfriend. Noah had texted me in the afternoon to meet him by our “spot”. Nobody but us knew about the spot. I didn’t even hesitate. I walked to my car, and headed straight toward Evergreen. It was a short five minute drive. I leapt out of my car to get started down the trail. I had to go a little deeper into the forest of Evergreen Park. 

After a ten minute walk, I made it to a split in the trail. In the middle of the split was a tree with a sign pointing to the right. Anybody who looked at the sign would continue down the path to the right, but for me, I went to the left. Yes, it was a harder path since you had to wave through some trees that were very close together, but the more you went down the path, the easier it got. As you continued, you would discover the most delightful man made wood bench. Directly behind the bench was a stream that trickled lightly into a larger lake not far away. If you continued about ten more minutes down the trail, you would actually come in contact with the lake. The bench was surrounded by the most vibrant flowers that seemed to light up the area. Sitting on the rustic bench was my boyfriend. He jumped to his feet to greet me with a peck. Then, he grabbed my hands, and brought me to the bench. 

“Why did you ask me here?” I asked him. I obviously didn’t mind being there with him, but I was curious. Our place in Evergreen Park was a very special place to go, where we would tell each other important things.

“Well, I had to tell you something,” he told me before taking a deep breath. “I...I love you, Amber.”

I gasped when he told me that. Noah and I had been dating at that point for about six months. This was a huge step, and I was ecstatic that he had said it.

Before I kissed him, I told him, “I love you too, Noah!”

When I got home that day, my mother was so mad because I hadn’t told her where I was. The second I said Evergreen Park, she was fine with it.

I hadn’t realized that I stopped in front of the sign pointing to the right, but I had. Instead of following my instinct to go the left, I followed the path to the right. The path to the left was completely cleared of trees at this point, and I could no longer hear the calming sound of trickling water. I sighed before continuing through the park.

Once I had reached the parking lot of the park, I had to hold back my tears. This was the last day the park was opened. All my memories were about to be destroyed in order for a major mall to be built. The stunning Evergreen with her rolling hills and flowing rivers was about to stripped of her beauty. The park that held some of my fondest memories would be forever gone. I was glad I got to reminisce on all the fond times, but I wish I could spend the rest of my life on that bench or looking at the waterfall. I had to channel the power of the waterfall to get into my car and drive away.

By: Sophia