Katrina Thornley

Arcadia: “any real or imaginary place offering peace and simplicity”
(thank you dictionary.com)

Arcadia, Browning Mill Pond, is a symbol of small town Rhode Island. It represents rural New England, the people that visit it and find peace in its “simplicity” are symbols of of this area as well. They are people that care for one another, that have worked hard for years, that have families that have worked hard as well. Arcadia, Browning Mill, is where they go in order to unwind after the long weeks at work, after the long weeks of life in general. It is a place where the rest of the world stops and you can remember how to breathe.

I was lucky enough to grow up close by (I’m still in the process of “growing” and this place is helping). I learned to fish here just as my parents dad. My parents learned to swim here, by the time I was old enough swimming was already banned at the location. And that was okay with me. I’m perfectly content sitting on the shore and putting my feet in or walking through one of the streams. I’m happy sitting on the point and having a heart to heart with my best friend as the wind blows by, while we stare across the pond at the sloping hill and giant trees. Giant trees that have been there for as long as I can remember. Sturdy, stable trees. I am okay sitting on one of the picnic tables and just watching the water, seeing the way the sun reflects, the way it dances in the wind. It is not just a place. Browning Mill is an entity in its own. I will always be thankful for the days I spent here, for the sunsets I watched and the people I have met. I will always remember the picnics I’ve had with my family and friends.
Browning Mill is a place of healing. It has healed me…countless times. And I know it has done the same for many others. When my cousin passed away…I came here. Not because I had spent time with him here, but because the wind, the water, and trees welcomed me. They consoled me more than anything else at the time possibly could. The way the wind blows through the trees…it’s like Mother Nature is trying to talk to you. It knows you’re there.
This place gave me confidence. It inspired my imagination in so many ways and has provided a location for sunny day reading, a place to sit and revise stories in peace and tranquility. It is a haven in this crazy world and now the government is trying to steal it from the people. It is a truly horrifying thing.
This creates a fear in many people. Rural America, Rural New England is beginning to change. Resist the change. Hold onto your compassion, your desire to work hard, hold onto “simplicity” and nature. Hold on to who you are.