<p>The prompt is : One of the core values of Villanova, as an Augustinian university founded on the teachings of St. Augustine, is that student and faculty learn from each other. As you imagine yourself as a member of the Villanova community, what is one lesson that you have learned in your life that you will want to share with others?</p>
<p>A haze of periwinkles, salmons, and forest greens swirled together in a garden of blossomed orchids and carnations. Hanging from the ramshackle door of a dilapidated, old house, a birdfeeder overflowed with nourishing grains and appetizing seeds. So out of place in my modern suburban town where newly built brick houses conquered the land, this hut might as well have been inhabited by fairies and dragons and princesses. Every Friday after school, my nanny gripped my hand, swinging it to and fro as she escorted my brother and me to the local pizzeria, past this magical house. She would always be sure to pick two flowers, usually a dusty blue and a pale pink carnation for each of us. </p>
<p>Regardless of how many times we strolled past the hut, or how many flowers we picked, it still resonated the same magical aura as it did the first time we came across the hut; it housed my imaginations, my hopes, and the after school Friday walks of my childhood.
As seasons changed and birthdays passed, I became very enthralled in my own life. So encompassed by triumphs and tragedies throughout the years, I neglected to notice the development of the world around me. As I walked home from work one day this past summer, I noticed the hut. However, the swirl of colors and birdfeeder were now gone. The cracks and stains in the siding were repaired and, in fact, the residency was now a newly built brick house. My heart sunk deep into my stomach; I thought, How could I have possibly been so absorbed in my own life that the demolition and construction of a house visible from my own had gone unnoticed? </p>
<p>At that very moment, the earth beneath my tired feet slowed to a halt. The sun seemed to shine brighter, the birds sang more harmoniously, and the wind calmed to a soothing breeze. Unfortunately in the time between my childhood to near present day, I had been going through the motions of my life in a formulaic, robotic manner: go to school, run to work, do homework, and repeat. I had not often enough withdrawn myself from the whirlpool of my daily routine to notice the omnipresent beauties of this earth.</p>
<p>As I attend Villanova, I hope to help my fellow peers to enjoy the beauties that surround them before life's true value of time is stolen from them. I look forward to share with the Villanova community that we must take advantage of the time we have at the university to make the best of our lives and our futures. We must occasionally step back from our busy schedules to be aware of the changes in the world we live in; in turn we will avoid getting sucked into a superficial existence where time seems to be interminable and our purpose in society is forgotten. Time is as precious as what we make of it, and I will share this insight because, as I know far too well, opportunities, cherished memories, and time itself may erode and disappear, much like my magical hut.</p>