From Water to Ice

For many years now, a lone individual in Alaska has walked across a large frozen pond longing for it to unfreeze. The pond has been frozen nonstop for 15 years since this individual was a teenager. While a teenager, the visitor would enjoy walking around, fishing, swimming, and sitting at the edge of this pond. This pond contains memories of catching big fish, swimming across its entire length of 2 miles, and simply relaxing. These are the types of things this person would like to continue enjoying. However, the pond had other plans and froze into ice.

Even after first discovering that the pond had frozen, the individual still came out to visit the pond every day. With every visit came hope that it would one day unfreeze and return to the way it was. Visiting the pond in its frozen state made the visitor think about all the good times before the freeze.

While the visitor may have been upset about the change of the pond, the situation presented two options:

1. Continue to be upset and not make new pleasant memories. OR
2. Find new enjoyable activities at this pond in its frozen state.

The visitor decided to move forward with the second option. Even though the individual preferred the pond when it was not frozen, deep down the visitor believed that there were new activities to enjoy at this pond.

Among these activities included walking across the frozen pond. Before the pond froze, walking laps around the entire pond was a fun activity. However, the frozen pond provided a new option of walking across rather than around. The pond in its frozen state provided both options for walking.

Another activity that became available was seeing how far within the 2 mile length of the pond the individual could throw a tennis ball. If the visitor had tried this before the pond froze, the tennis balls would have sunk down to the bottom of the pond. Now, the individual could get a better idea as to how far a tennis ball would travel from throwing it across the pond.

In addition to sitting at the edge of the pond, the visitor could now sit at the center of the pond. When the pond was not frozen, the individual would enjoy sitting at the edge, look up towards the sky, and reflect on life. Now that it was frozen, sitting in the center of the pond became another option. When visiting the pond, the individual would bring snacks to eat such as granola bars, raisins, and an apple. The visitor would usually enjoy these snacks from the edge of the pond. However, not that the pond was frozen, these snacks could be enjoyed from the center of the pond. Overall, sitting in this position provided a new perspective of the pond. The visitor could now see the pond's surrounding from an angle that was not available before.

With the pond freezing, it was clear that there were different ways to enjoy and appreciate it. While the visitor enjoyed these different experiences, there was always a hope that the pond would one day unfreeze. Regardless of the future of the pond, the visitor has accepted the situation of the pond for what it is. If the pond returns to the way it was, then awesome. If not, the pond would still be an enjoyable place to visit. The individual still went out to the pond on a daily basis and enjoyed spending time there. For as long as the pond was frozen, the visitor would continue to think of new ways to enjoy this place. And if the pond were to no longer be frozen, then the visitor would find more ideas for enjoying that scenario.