Today had some sweet reminders. A friend's wedding pictures, a message written in the sand, and a creepy recipe just in time for Halloween. One post however, was unexpected. A reminder that 7 years ago, my world was rocked and the results set me firmly on a path that led me to where I am today.
Just over 7 years ago, I was working a steady job I could picture staying with for the rest of my life. I was looking at buying a house and finding permanency in a town I adored. Then I got sick. I don't even know if sick is the right word. That makes me think of viruses and antibodies and take enough medicine so you'll be better. This was nothing like that. This was a waiting game and the unanswerable question of "Why?"
With it came a shift in priorities. A feeling of restlessness. A realization that you can be a healthy 24 year old who can still have a brush with mortality. That life is too short to put off dreams you'd do "someday." And so I stopped looking at houses. Eventually I started looking at jobs that would allow me to travel. And one day I sat down with a friend who asked me what my ultimate dream would be to do with my life. Who then called me out on my excuses for why I wasn't pursuing that dream.
Just over 4 years ago, I fulfilled that dream. I left the US with just a backpack (okay, maybe a big backpack and smaller one) and started to travel the world. I've lived in 5 different countries, become a certified PADI Dive Master, learned to ride a scooter, discovered that oreos are a universal treat, hugged a koala, been to visit the States twice, and so many other memories and events too numerous to count.
But traveling isn't just about the crazy stories and epic adventures. There are the lessons learned. About other countries, other people, other beliefs, other things outside of my own little bubble. Expanding that bubble and in the process learning more about myself. The power of silence. Learning to be in the moment with my body, mind, and spirit. Finding the balance of planning and going with the flow. Realizing that my overall well-being is more important than a paycheck. That always on the go is fun, but some constancy also has its place. Having the ability to say yes and the choice to say no is a freedom like no other...And the lessons continue (and re-teach if I didn't learn it the first time). ::grin::
So as I write from the comfort of my trailer in Kanagawa and get ready for bed to prepare for a new week of teaching English at my Japanese international kindergarten, I can't help but feel awe for how an event 7 years ago changed my life in more ways than I could have imagined. As Corrie Ten Boom's sister said, "Thank you for the fleas."
