Transcendentalism | Teen Ink

Transcendentalism MAG

July 8, 2010
By Lindseyface SILVER, Hagarville, Arkansas
Lindseyface SILVER, Hagarville, Arkansas
7 articles 0 photos 4 comments

As I press my eyes together to keep the sunlight at bay, I can feel the forest all around, the firm ground pressing against the contours of my back, the pliable dirt beneath my fingers. I ­listen to the trees breathe and marvel as the very essence of nature soaks into my skin. Sometimes it's difficult to accept that a place like this exists. Sighing, I allow my mind to wander. Then I feel a gentle kick at my hip.

I groan. Opening my eyes, I squint through the sunlight to see the profile of a gangly teenage boy.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

Closing my eyes again, I smile. “I'm imagining what it must have been like to be a transcendentalist.”

He paused. “Really? Because it looks like you're lying in the middle of my driveway.”

I open my eyes again and sit up. “Well. You have a nice driveway.” I motion at the scenery around us. “And besides, your mother hates me. I was afraid to ask if I could come in.”

He rolls his eyes, pushing his unruly brown hair out of his face. “She doesn't hate you. She just, uh, isn't … used to you.”

I raise an eyebrow.

Sighing, he sits down beside me. “Okay, so maybe she has welcoming issues.”

I eye him for a moment before grabbing his hand and lying back down, trying to return to my former peaceful state.

“So I suppose this means we're not going anywhere,” he asks, an awkward smile on his face.

I shake my head. “Nope. You ruined my concentration. We're not going anywhere until I can meet up with Walt Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson.”

He laughs, lying down beside me. “Then I have a feeling we'll be here for a while. I might as well get comfortable.”

I shove him playfully. “Hey, don't underestimate my ability to time travel. It may come in handy some day.”

“Sure, sure.” I hear him snicker.

“Okay, fine. But one day, when you come to me begging to meet up with Alfred Hitchcock or something, you can forget it.”

I turn my head to find him staring at me, all traces of humor gone from his face. My smile fades as my heart picks up. He lightly squeezes my hand.

“I hope I'm not interrupting your ­concentration.”

I shake my head. “No.”

And I realize that this is my version of transcendentalism. We may not be revolutionizing the way people approach literature, or even life in general, and we certainly aren't striving for a feeling of higher purpose. He is my purpose. I am him … he is me. We are the breath of the trees and the pliable dirt beneath our fingers. We're all that ever was or ever will be. We're everything that we need. And as I look into his eyes – really look – I know that nothing will ever change that.

He smiles. “Have you met them yet?”

Biting my lip, I nod. “Yeah.”

“And?”

I smile. “And they've got nothing on you.”



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This article has 16 comments.


on Apr. 4 2016 at 4:34 pm
Aaliyah02 SILVER, Pflugervile, Texas
6 articles 0 photos 33 comments

Favorite Quote:
" If you can dream it, you can do it"

very nice work! keep it up!

on Nov. 21 2015 at 5:30 pm
TabithaL SILVER, Suffolk, Virginia
9 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Speak only if it improves upon the silence"- Mahatma Gandhi

Omg the ending is so amazing :) it made me get tears in my eyes...

on Apr. 12 2015 at 5:47 pm
RationalIdealist BRONZE, Orinda, California
3 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.”
― Mark Twain

The beginning made me laugh, the ending made me cry. I love the chemistry between these two characters and would love to see more of them. And I love the shout-out to transcendentalism!

on Nov. 1 2012 at 6:18 pm
Ultim@te SILVER, Sisters, Oregon
5 articles 0 photos 27 comments
aw how cute is this! love the ending

on May. 9 2012 at 11:50 pm
i_am_so_very_large_and_towering SILVER, Mililani, Hawaii
5 articles 1 photo 114 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Yet what is any ocean but a multitude of drops?"

oh my gosh . . . wow!!!!!

on Jan. 16 2012 at 9:00 am
artfullymade14 BRONZE, Chesapeak, Virginia
2 articles 5 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Live as if you'll die tomorrow, dream as if you'll live forever."
-Unknown Author

This was so so cute :) I really love the ending how shes lkike 'They have nothing on you." AHH! SO cute! Could you possible take a look at my writing? I am a sucker for ramance also :)

on Dec. 20 2011 at 2:13 pm
Kat4ever333 GOLD, Orange, California
14 articles 35 photos 104 comments

Favorite Quote:
I make dark things beautiful and beautiful things dark!
-Kerli I.L.U

AHHHH! I'm going to cry! it was soooo amazing its like...... really good. i wish i could write like this. you make my stories look like a first grader wrote them!

on Dec. 12 2011 at 5:56 pm
whateverjuliet BRONZE, Miami, Florida
3 articles 3 photos 89 comments

Favorite Quote:
true love never dies,it only gets stronger with time.

it's amazing, beautiful, no words!

on Nov. 18 2011 at 6:27 pm
Dragonfly_Girl PLATINUM, Pleasant Hill, California
21 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is not waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain.

This is beautiful! I thought no one thought about things like this but me! I identify with it so much!

on Jun. 11 2011 at 1:33 am
booklover104 BRONZE, Stockton, California
4 articles 0 photos 54 comments

Favorite Quote:
I have a couple of quotes i like... \"Success is not a doorway it\'s a staircase\"
2. \"Everything happens for a reason\"
3.\"Your worth consists in what you are and not in what you have\"-Thomas Edison

wow...this is really interesting! I like how you made the story on transcendentalism! ;)

mads942 SILVER said...
on Apr. 29 2011 at 7:09 pm
mads942 SILVER, Houston, Texas
6 articles 0 photos 24 comments
i like want to meet these people. good job!

Tayrl BRONZE said...
on Apr. 11 2011 at 3:58 am
Tayrl BRONZE, Rockhampton, Other
4 articles 2 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don't tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon

love it! wanted the story to keep on going!

on Mar. 7 2011 at 8:56 am
A.C.Worsham GOLD, Cocoa, Florida
15 articles 0 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We can't just slay the dragon with our bear hands!"
"Yeah, we need gloves!"
-Spongebob

This was very good. I just wish there was more!

on Feb. 4 2011 at 11:13 am
Chitra.I PLATINUM, Dubai, Other
44 articles 2 photos 131 comments

Favorite Quote:
Everything makes sense if you think too much about it.

I love your style. It's so random yet related. Well done. :)

on Feb. 2 2011 at 1:14 pm
lena.ivette BRONZE, Colorado Springs, Colorado
1 article 1 photo 10 comments
oh wow! this was really good :) i love the way you phrased everything! absolutly beautiful

ToshiroMarie said...
on Feb. 1 2011 at 2:51 pm
I was depressed when the story ended. Wish I could read more of this story. Hope there is more where this came from!