Saturday, February 25, 2006

Ponderings from Travel

Someone once remarked, "Wherever you are, be all there."

After spending a week traversing two countries and five states, I couldn't agree more. It seems that when I travel, I tend to focus on how I can preserve as much of it as possible, rather than on how I can savour as much as possible.

John Mayer said in a song...

"Didn't have a camera by my side this time,
Hoping I could see the world with both my eyes."

Las Vegas was a prime example... You simply can't capture all that is Las Vegas in a picture, or even 50. It's an experience that you just have to be a part of in the moment.

Even Phoenix... How can you properly remember the smell outside in the morning? There isn't really a way... All you can do it savour it while you are there - not worrying about how long you will be able to enjoy it FOR, but simply being in the present and enjoying it in the moment.

I find that much of life is lived waiting for the magical moments or being in them, but knowing they are short and thus attempting to enjoy them as much as possible.

Why do we not simply live?

Friday, February 17, 2006

Reading Week has officially arrived...

For those of us with no Friday classes, Reading Week has officially arrived. Yesterday, when I passed my finance exam to the aisle, got up and left the room, it was a huge feeling of RELIEF because for a week and a half I can officially avoid studying, working only on the servant leadership presentation due the Tuesday after Reading Week. And stuff for work...

In just three hours I will be on my way to sunny Phoenix, Arizona to bask in the sun and turn my skin lobster-esque colours. During the long drive down, I will probably have a chance to be BORED, which I haven't experienced in a long, long time.

You know what's interesting... We spend our whole lives wanting more responsibility... at least I do. Greater leadership challenges, more control over tasks... But then we get more responsibility and it takes us to a place where suddenly we feel as though many things depend on us. And I'm still trying to figure out if it's real or imagined. Last week I thought I was getting sick, and I told myself "I don't have the option to be sick." But that seems kind of silly... I mean, I do have a few responsibilities, but I don't know that if I were to be sick for a few days that entire world would go off it's orbit or anything. OR, more realistically, that the things I was responsible for would absolutely collapse.

It's more an issue, I think, of wanting to excel in things. And where's the balance between wanting to be involved and get experience and getting ourselves to a place where we suddenly find ourselves in over our heads? And I don't mean to the point where every waking moment is spent doing work... I mean more to the point where we can't give the right amount of passion to something. Where the thoughts of everything we have to do are more overwhelming than the actual tasks of doing them.

This week, for example, I had two midterms, an assignment and a good friend coming in from out of town. On top of that, I had a bunch of stuff to do for work before I left for the week. And, of course, I also had to get a bunch of things ready for the trip. And now that I write it all out, it doesn't seem that bad, but I was stressed coming into this week.

Anyway... I don't really know what to say. The only thing I really know is that now I am done everything and just need to pack for a week in the sun. Stay up to date on our travels at http://phoenixroadtrip.blogspot.com

Monday, February 06, 2006

You know you're busy when...

You have so much schoolwork to do that you take your reading, highlighter and all, to the gym with you and do it while you walk on the treadmill, even though the gym used to be a restful haven for your mind.

*sigh*

I promise there will be some insighful posts in two weeks when I am "busy" relaxing on the patio beside the pool in Phoenix.

Speaking of which, anyone want to come? We still have room! http://phoenixroadtrip.blogspot.com