Autumn Splendor: Rediscovering Allerton

Monticello, Illinois

Sometimes I really believe that this year is moving way too fast. I believe those of us about to graduate feel either relieved or stressed that in a semester we'll be turning tassels and flipping hats. But until then, let's try to enjoy the time we have here.

They say until a person is immersed in nature, they can never fully understand themselves. It was a peaceful Saturday afternoon, the skies were exceptionally bright. Perfect for an adventure some might say.

With that in mind, Chelsea and I hopped into the car and we headed due east towards Champaign... but that was not our first destination. Along 72 East, there is a small town named Monticello, and if you turn in, you'll find some brown signs for University of Illinois: Allerton Park.

Aside to some readers:
Now for those of you who know what Allerton, keep on reading anyways... you should most definitely post your feelings about this place (and if it means anything to you).

I haven't been to Allerton in a while, most certainly my footsteps were long erased long ago, but still, when we started our journey, it became something more than just an immersion in nature... it became an immersion of self-discovery.

Pathways at Allerton

The existing of Allerton Park is somewhat of a whimsical and simultaneously riveting story, but this is not the story I want to tell you. I encourage you to learn more about it... what I'm here to talk to you about is witnessing Autumn in all of its magnificent splendor.

Allerton, to me, is the amazing mixture of cultures coexisting in one self-contained world. Jubilant Chinese statues celebrating the love of music, Greek monuments, shrines to Buddha, and a terrifyingly amazing tribute to the death of Earth's last Centaur.

These musicians greet you as you enter the Sunken Garden

As you first enter Allerton at the parking lots, you will see a mansion and a pathway to ornately sculpted foliage. So delicately and deliberately sculpted - these maze gardens and wall hedges lead you to a pathway designed for the glory of Fall. Passing by the Chinese musician statues, I could close my eyes and imagine myself hearing their invigorating fanfare.

The sculptures paled in comparison to what we saw next. Miles of trees... not groves - groves are sculpted. Trees interspersed to grow at their own whim, to be the homes of squirrels, leaves... As the crisp breeze blew, you saw the trees dance ever so slightly, bending, yet standing firm in its majestic stance. "We should take lessons from trees. Look at them, so tall and sturdy, yet they bend slightly when the wind touches them," said Chelsea.

She was most definitely right. As we traversed the leaf-strewn pathways, I fondly remembered the transformation of what Allerton did to me. Imagine the revitalization of your very existence. Close your eyes and all you hear is the soft rustling of the newly fallen leaves as they find new resting places in the slightly damp path.

Chelsea and I at the Centaur monument

Pay homage to the sculptures and statues thrown intermittently between miles of pathway. Take a minute to lie on your back and stare towards the endless sky. In the case where you are taking your life just a little too seriously, just sit back and enjoy the amazing renaissance you will discover by letting nature take you over just as it had taken Allerton over.

Salutations (and farewell) to another beautiful day

If you took the same pathway as we did, you will find the entrance to this large grass circle, and in the middle is this celebratory man with his hands raised, trying to put the magnificent sun within his grasp. It was 4:00 PM, and the sun was just over his hands, and as luck would have it, we were able to capture just a small moment - and pay homage to the Sun Singer.

Please believe me when I say that pictures do not do Allerton justice. I was hesitant to even put pictures up, but I implore you to go there and enjoy what you see. Let me know!

Until we meet again,

Suraj