Adventure stirs the soul .
You must learn one thing ::
the world was made to be free in .
Give up all the other worlds
except the one to which you belong .
David Whyte
I’ve been moving around a lot this year —
mostly out of necessity .
I can’t complain much as it’s forced me to see parts of the world that I never would have known existed . . .
As well-traveled as I was, none of this was pre-planned tourism.
All of it was reciprocal energy exchange and interdependence .
I’ve learned so much this year about myself, the world, and how others live .
As a person who sat on the couch for the better part of a decade numbing my pain to oblivion, it has been mind-blowing to discover that “comfort” ( in large doses, this seems to equate to fear and an unhealthy attachment to the past … at least it did for me ) is no longer my drug of choice . Still — it’s worth saying . . .
I never really saw myself as a nomad .
I did see myself as an artist from a very young age .
Though I wasn't quite sure how that would look . I also sensed how difficult that road would be. And I wasn’t emotionally ready for it . So … I took the more “sensible” route — as one does . One that would ensure a ticket out of my home situation, mostly .
And I played that life out for as long as I possibly could. It matured me.
Then one day I realized I just couldn’t do it anymore
So I got up and left .
Just like my father did when he left my mother after nearly 30 years — rather abruptly .
I mean . At least I said good bye before leaving . . .
Carl Jung once said “ Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on children than the unlived life of [their] parents . . . “
Most days, I know that I am doing all of this for me . To create a life for myself that’s more honest . To ultimately give back to the world . . .
But some days, I sense that it’s for him . For all of my ancestors really .
Especially the ones who choked down poverty and exploitation and abuse and addiction and countless other inhumane living conditions . The ones who never made it out — who never got to actualize the life that summoned them . . .
This is for all of us .
Thank you, Adelaide, for your gorgeous hospitality .
You have reminded me that generous and loving people exist all over this planet… poised to embrace the periodic rogue yet grateful wayfarer with open arms — if only given the opportunity ♡