by Albert Chu

Created on: June 01, 2008

It was a beautiful day. I sat at my usual place beside the fountain, watching the others stroll about the streets, free of cares. Every so often, my view would shift from reality to a more surreal perspective, gazing into the rippling reflection of the scene and listening to the quiet flow of the water as it danced in the air and dived gently into the distorted dimension. I took a moment to marvel at the intricacy of the fountain as I leaned against the curved stone of the basin; the detailed etchings throughout its structure created the illusion of a small tree, complete with smooth bark, many branches, leaves, flowers. A glittering liquid sprouted from the convergence of the petals as the sunlight danced through the streams of the water, giving them a light of their own, and shining radiance into the tiny world trapped inside.

I always stop for a bit to take in the scenery.

Today in particular was especiallyspecial. It was about the end of the afternoon. The sun was shining not too brightly overhead, but enough to give that yellow glow and atmosphere of content. Everything seemed calm and serene, moving at whatever pace it felt like at the moment. And everyone was drinking that moment in. I was pretty idle myself, based upon the fact that I had time to marvel at architecture. My eyes wandering from the fountain spouts over my head, I turned my attention towards the stone buildings. A vibrant mixture of curves and straights, blending columns and arches, connected in a mosaic painting which never seemed to begin or end.

The whole realm seemed to bask in the glow of light around us, the whites and grays were blindingly luminescent during mid-day. But around this time, I thought that the absence of total light in my surroundings was more welcoming. It made my home seem less grand and more in touch with the world.

My observations of the architecture and lighting were not aimless. I was searching for the feature that made this day truly spectacular, heightening my senses, picking up on every detail. I searched for what seemed to be an eternity, looking everywhere, from the columns and arches, to the clouds overheard, to the sun, to the streets, to the water running behind and over my head, to the fountain, and back again. Though I was almost nonchalant in my process, I was persistent in succeeding.

"Nothing shall stand in my way, and I will achieve my end," I thought playfully as if I were making a valiant speech for my beliefs. How ridiculous.

But, no sooner had the

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