My Moment in Greece

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My moment in Greece came suddenly, completely without warning. We were on top of the Acropolis, walking up the stairs to see the Parthenon. Now, I'd seen the Parthenon with my own eyes every day since we'd arrived in Athens. It's hard not to see it, towering over Athens right in the middle of town. Our class had walked past the Acropolis every day as we went out on various excursions. Every time you look up at it, it's just as breathtaking as the first time you saw it.

This time, however, was different. We weren't just passing by on our way to another destination, looking up at it in awe. When the Parthenon came into view from the top of the stairs, I was in shock. Like actually, literally in shock. The Parthenon was standing there right in front of me. Seeing it in real life is so, so incredibly different from seeing it on television or in books. You see it standing there, just a couple feet away, and you realize, Holy cow. I am actually standing here. Thousands of years of human history, right there in front of you. So close you can touch it (although I wouldn't recommend that). It makes you wonder about all the other people in the whole history of humanity that have also set foot in this place. People just like you, with names and families and stories and feelings. They stood here thousands of years ago, just like you're standing here now. Did they feel just as awestruck as you feel? Probably they did. And then you start to wonder, a couple thousand years from now, will someone else be standing here, thinking the same things you're thinking? It really makes you realize how much we humans have in common. The world changes, civilizations come and go, but humans will fundamentally always be the same. It doesn't matter if you're Greek or American, young or old, living in ancient Greece or the European Union. We feel inspired by the same things, we experience the same happiness, sadness, loneliness and joy. We never really change.