The Target Pilgrimage - Experience of Natural Setting

December 8 2017
A trip to Target may not seem interesting or significant, but for my friends and I, it was a daylong adventure. Yes, we could have just walked to Harris Teeter and grab what we needed, but Eric thought it would be more fun to walk to Target. Yusuf backed the idea, saying it would be a good “roommate bonding experience” which is reminiscent of strong communitas. It seemed like an unnecessary waste of time and energy; however, eric had been feeling down for the past few days. When he pitched the target idea, we saw it as an opportunity to make him feel better (similar to a pilgrim journeying to heal themselves).
On our walk, we chatted since we had not really spoken in a few days. It was partly cloudy yet warm enough for a light jacket, my favorite kind of weather. Looking back, I remember the most enjoyable part of the trip for me was the scenery. More specifically, I enjoyed the symmetry of nature mixed with industrialism (it is extremely specific, strange, and I have never thought about things that way before). As we spoke about in class, an interpretation of place is never void from human influence. An example of this would include a trail beside the road lined with tall, colorful trees. As we began walking across a bridge, I realised there was a train under us and was overjoyed to see the caboose disappear beneath my feet. The track went so far that it hit the horizon and kept going beyond my sight. The last example was one of the multiple times we crossed the street. Cars were impatiently waiting for us to complete our cross and seeing them bolt down the road and come to a dead stop in front of us gave me a sense of perspective.

All three instances involved manmade paths stretching farther than I could see past. It made me feel insignificant; however, it was an interesting detail of our journey. I felt inspired through it as though I were looking at pictures in a museum. On our way back to the dorm, we were completely wiped out. Upon reflection, the five hour walk to and from Target  was more interesting than the shopping itself. This proves the journey can be more beneficial than the destination.

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