Lake Chautauqua Delight by Emily Jones ‘23

Lake

EMILY JONES '23 CHAUTAUQUA Delight

The dock sways beneath my touch as I make my way to the open, inviting scene shaped by my family, dogs, and pleasures present at this oasis. I peer to my left allowing the smoke erupting from a nearby bonfire to intrude my senses and causing me to erupt in a series of harmless sneezes. The sweet, salty ripples, provided by the vast lake of Chautauqua, reflect off the fire and allow a breeze to cool the anger the flames of the bonfire greeted me with. The smoke fuses with the water, s’mores, fish, and wine present on the dock to conceive a sense of comfort and tranquility I naturally receive from the generous being of Chautauqua. My breaths slow, while my eyes widen to capture the glistening of the lake caused by the light, provided by the sun, as it melts into the abyss. My family and dogs welcome me to a scene of blissful laughter, fishing, and conversation. My sisters swarm the dock, it’s positions shifting once more as they chase my dogs to the edge of the water, luring them with the promise of a soggy, hazel stick. I shuffle from their path and hear their echoing yells across the dock, “Pax, Rex, c’mon, stick, stick, jump in to get it.” The delight that radiates from their tones allows a smile to creep onto my face, reflecting that of my mom and dad as I join them to regard the fading sun. As I sit down I take a moment to brush the rolling water, allowing it to flow through my hands, marking me as a recipient of its untold serenity. Time slows and I become aware of my surroundings as a gust of air creates an imbalanced ripple in the water which rocks the dock as everyone stills in a moment of unnecessary fear. As the waves pass, a shield of laughter erupts from the dock and we reflect on the stupidity of our dread, allowing our worries to melt away with the sun into complete oblivion. The day fades away along with the enduring sun that is replaced with a bulb of light as it vanishes into the water to welcome the darkness of the night. The fish continue swimming, the conversation slows, the dock rocks to the absence of company and the presence of silence, and I am left alone. Alone in my ageless imagination, which is my greatest delight.