Finding Beauty Close to Home

I’m starting the new year with a simple goal — to add more mileage to my weekly runs. Nothing too ambitious, just a small step on the ladder to the next level. But in scouting out my new route, I ended up finding something even better: a slice of beauty I’d somehow overlooked all my years in Decatur.

Just a few minutes from my house is the campus of Agnes Scott College, and it’s absolutely lovely. The tree-lined sidewalks, the historic buildings with their quiet but grand character — it all feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city, even though it’s right in the middle of town.

The day I ventured out to plan my new route I spent the afternoon wandering as if I were seeing it all for the first time. Even in the middle of winter, the campus felt inviting. The huge oaks, completely bare, stretched their branches across the paths like quiet sketches against the sky, framing pockets of light and shadow in such an understated way.

Without leaves to steal the show, the shapes of the trees, the lines of the brick pathways, and the rhythm of the old buildings all stood out even more, and the whole place felt calm, intentional, and quietly beautiful.

I only wish I’d discovered this spot for my runs sooner. But that’s the beauty of exploring — even in familiar places, there’s always something new waiting to be seen.