Honeymoon Phase

The thrill of new cities, new toys, new discoveries....it has its charm and then typically fades away like everything else. Only lasting but a moment in time, like the honeymoon, which of course is wonderful until you must inevitably return back home and go back to your normal life. Normal life, that can be tricky to look at in the eye, face to face. We must embrace it or check out. Don't think so morbidly as to think 'off' yourself. "Check out" could be defined in many different ways, and unfortunately the definition would involve the majority of the population today. Can I continue to face the day? To face this so called "normal life"? Or will I choose to check out?

Los Angeles is ever changing, under constant construction, with a diverse crowd and a widespread domain. It boasts a population of over 13 million people, which makes it the second largest city in the United States. The night life, the vendors, the music, the food, the celebrities, the sky scrapers, and so much more. It's dynamic, with each section of the city proudly displaying something completely different than the rest. The walk of fame and the chinese theater, just some of the many icons in hollywood. Don't forget about all the characters you meet on the street as well. The layout of downtown LA, however, is completely different, and full of interesting pockets. Each day I walk around downtown I find something different and new that I didn't know existed before. The markets, the art, the festivals, the business folk; they all make up the city. I'd like to say I always walk around with excitement and wonder of what I might stumble upon next, but honestly, it's all become fairly routine and mundane. This is what it's called to settle down I suppose.

This is what everyone dreams of, yes? Routine? They seem to thrive off it in fact. As long as you have your lunch at 12:30 on the dot, which consists of all the important food groups, except on fridays where you 'let yourself go' a bit. Make sure to finish work promptly to get your fitness exercise in and burn those calories! Nothing like a successful day in the office and then a bangin' workout session to boost morale. Later on maybe you'll hit the town with some friends, grab a drink during happy hour, and speak a little more openly than you usually do. This, you will do, for days and months and sometimes years on end.

Can I be honest. I just threw up. Have we lost all the wonder and mysticism of life? Are we so happy with routine that we will take it to our grave? Routine can be great and at the same time it can slowly destroy us if we let it take control. A man came up to me the other day asking for help, and then he apologized saying "i'm sorry, I know I wasn't a part of your plan today". All I could respond was saying in fact he was a part of my plans for the day, because we must expect the unexpected and embrace it. We must settle into certain living quarters sometimes, but that doesn't mean our hearts or minds should settle to an extent of restricting ourselves from true living and sharing and love. How will people eat if we don't feed them? How will there be change if we don't take a step? Life can continuously be thrilling if we let it. Don't compare yourself to anyone else, and don't make believe that mysticism is a fantasy in fiction novels. Mysticism can be reality, and it might even be possible to enjoy the wonder of a child once again.

I'm not good at settling into anything. I love the freedom of travel, what Glen Hansard calls gypsy privilege. It's great, because you experience so many different places and people, but it is only temporary. Isn't everything temporary? Yes and no. Some things and people will stick with me forever. And the only way that is possible if I make a connection with them that isn't easy. It's painful in fact. Places I miss. People I miss. Love that's been broken in a way. Perhaps there's a healthy way of settling. In fact, it took me getting very sick this past week to even consider this as a possibility. It sounds silly to say, but I finally sat down and didn't DO anything. I just layed on the floor being sick and feeling bad for myself, but through that I finally started taking care of myself. Which led me to appreciate being settled and also allowed me more opportunity to help others, now that I was becoming more healthy both physically and emotionally.

I hope you're able to settle in a healthy way, and realize that being on the move too much can be dangerous if you don't take care. So enjoy the things of life, take notes of your daily thoughts, find the wonder in the sunrise through the trees, and take care my friend. May you walk in peace and good health. Treat each new day as a wonderful surprise, and hold close to those you love.