Finding Your Paradise

By Tori Hwang

Marymount High School

It has approximately been five months since we have been in quarantine, and people have been visibly showing signs of increased frustration, boredom, and anxiety. The once cozy and relaxing atmosphere of our home has now turned into a constricting cage; as we all look outside our window, we hope for the day we can finally leave without a mask. In other words, quarantine for most people has been rather irritating. As they give more and more nicknames like “hell on earth” or even “living nightmare”, people have expressed their desire to leave their house to outdoor paradise. But why does paradise have to be outside?

During the last week of July, my mother and I, sick of staying in our house for so long, visited my aunt’s house in San Francisco. Before the trip, I was really excited to finally go out of town for the first time this summer. I imagined all the different activities I could do there and how I can finally feel free.

But during the full week I was there, I left the house once. 

San Francisco, much like Los Angeles, is also under quarantine, so most of its stores and restaurants are currently closed. Knowing this, I realized how uneventful and dull this stay would be. However, I noticed how content my aunt and my cousins were despite the lockdown. 

It turns out that my aunt had started to garden, and there were flowers everywhere around the house. The backyard was full of vibrant colors, and there was a dainty vase on every table. Compared to the last time I have been there, the house seemed more colorful and full of life, like paradise. The humble addition of flowers uplifted my mood, and I have never felt more relaxed on a trip. 

Changes like placing flower vases might seem minimal, but they have a positive effect on our mental health. These small alterations (organizing a workspace, changing the position of furniture, etc.) can make a familiar house seem new or different. Consequently, this can alternate one’s perspective and lifestyle positively as well. One might gain a sense of motivation to start working again after procrastinating for several days, another might find the inner peace they were looking for after hours of meditation, and another might feel simply content from the new environment. All in all, these all share a common mindset that can change your quarantined life as well: instead of wishing to go out to paradise, why can’t we find paradise at home?