I am writing today about one of my friends, who is about as different from me as the earth is to the sky. A brooding thunderhead to my mostly sunny with an occasional sprinkle. He lives in the future and the past a lot and I live in the now. We are like oil and water sometimes but it's good to have a friend like that who makes you notice things you otherwise wouldn't. And it's cool that we totally don't get each other a lot of the time but still care anyway.
So today I'm thankful for thoughtful friends who are kind to me. And I hope that I can make them feel as loved and special as they make me feel.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Batman and ... Alex
So last summer I discovered Couch Surfing. In case you're unfamiliar with it, it's an organization that connects people travelling with people willing to host. It's a pretty amazing community and I've met some really awesome people through the site. It's a great way to learn about other cultures by hosting people from abroad, and to connect with locals and get the skinny on all the best places to go when you are travelling.
I have only traveled once using it but have hosted several people over the last several months. My most recent guest was Batman... and his friend Alex. Batman is a beautiful and sweet Pit Bull mix with slightly crossed liquid brown eyes. Alex is a free spirit martial arts instructor, self help guru, hypnotist and dating coach for men. He is hitchhiking across the country and stayed with me for a few days on his way to Mardi Gras. He was a lot of fun and showed me some things I didn't know. Learning something new is always a good thing. He also helped remind me of my own self help path.
It's so easy to let the white noise of our fast paced lives overpower the silence inside that let's us hear and see things we might otherwise miss. There was a story circulating on the Internet about a world famous violinist who played to a sold out concert one night and then on the subway entrance the next day to see how people in a hurry react to some of the most beautiful music ever written, being played by one of the most talented musicians in the world. The children tried to stop and listen but their parents pulled them away. Some adults paused... very few lingered. It was a powerful testament to the amazing things that we are missing all around us because we are too busy to notice.
I started making changes in my life to slow the pace down and be able to enjoy this most wonderful city I've moved to. But it's hard to change everything at once and I'll admit I've gotten stalled. When I look at someone like Alex who did change everything all at once, gave up a wonderful job doing something he loved, sold most everything he owned and just took off to travel because it was something he wanted to do, I am inspired by his courage. It's really easy to get complacent and wait for things to happen. Being happy and learning yourself takes conscious effort. Reaching for the life you want for yourself takes a rare kind of courage to free yourself from the bonds of what society says is desirable and acceptable. By every definition, Alex is homeless. But at the same time he is rich in experiences that people like me long for and rich in the freedom to go and do and be whatever and wherever he wants.
I have only traveled once using it but have hosted several people over the last several months. My most recent guest was Batman... and his friend Alex. Batman is a beautiful and sweet Pit Bull mix with slightly crossed liquid brown eyes. Alex is a free spirit martial arts instructor, self help guru, hypnotist and dating coach for men. He is hitchhiking across the country and stayed with me for a few days on his way to Mardi Gras. He was a lot of fun and showed me some things I didn't know. Learning something new is always a good thing. He also helped remind me of my own self help path.
It's so easy to let the white noise of our fast paced lives overpower the silence inside that let's us hear and see things we might otherwise miss. There was a story circulating on the Internet about a world famous violinist who played to a sold out concert one night and then on the subway entrance the next day to see how people in a hurry react to some of the most beautiful music ever written, being played by one of the most talented musicians in the world. The children tried to stop and listen but their parents pulled them away. Some adults paused... very few lingered. It was a powerful testament to the amazing things that we are missing all around us because we are too busy to notice.
I started making changes in my life to slow the pace down and be able to enjoy this most wonderful city I've moved to. But it's hard to change everything at once and I'll admit I've gotten stalled. When I look at someone like Alex who did change everything all at once, gave up a wonderful job doing something he loved, sold most everything he owned and just took off to travel because it was something he wanted to do, I am inspired by his courage. It's really easy to get complacent and wait for things to happen. Being happy and learning yourself takes conscious effort. Reaching for the life you want for yourself takes a rare kind of courage to free yourself from the bonds of what society says is desirable and acceptable. By every definition, Alex is homeless. But at the same time he is rich in experiences that people like me long for and rich in the freedom to go and do and be whatever and wherever he wants.
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