The beginning with no end in sight...

Since this is my first post, I guess some introductory thoughts are in order. I've been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel a lot already in my young life. I've been to Botswana, to the marginalized rural villages in El Salvador and to the vast desert in Israel. These experiences have all impacted me in different ways, but one thing I've taken away from every trip I've ever been on is that while the landscapes and languages are different, people are fundamentally the same no matter where I go, and what has been most memorable to me is the small interactions I have with people and the brief moments that provide perspective about an otherwise obscure and seemingly meaningless collection of existences that make up the human experience. In this spirit, I'm embarking on the ongoing journey that is everyday life.

This blog will be a random collection of thoughts and insights inspired by the small moments and encounters in life that change those few otherwise ordinary seconds into a transcendental experience: moments of absolute beauty that take your breath away, moments that inspire courage in the strength and resolve of the human spirit, moments that awaken in you an awareness of how vast the universe is, leaving you feeling fragile and insignificant. Posts will be sporadic because no one can expect to have life-shattering epiphanies on a daily basis (doing so would surely drive the recipient to overwhelming insanity), but when I am struck with inspiration I'll chronicle my own everyday adventures and unique adventures too, as well as the insights that accompany them. For those of you who happen to read this, I hope you enjoy my stories and can relate to the experiences and thoughts I have.

All pleasantries finally aside, now on to the point. Today was a continuation of the seemingly endless string of bitter, freezing and snowy days that have made up this quarter. Lately, every morning I'm greeted with instant chills and a runny nose as I start my day trudging to class in snow just shallow enough to warrant having class. Then without fail no matter what direction I walk the wind seems to lock in on my one area of weakness and blow right in my face. Compounded with a lack of sunlight and a full workload, getting through these day leaves me feeling exhausted, a pathetic shell of my potential self. Standing at the threshold separating my cozy apartment and the biting wind outside, I knew today would be no different and that made those first few steps that much harder to take.

The only way I get through it all is by developing a pattern and going through the motions: taking the same route every day so that my legs carry my body without me having to tell them where to go or urge them on, timing breaks so that just as I'm about to reach the breaking point I get a moment to breathe before plowing on, and numbing myself mentally and physically to the point where I am oblivious to the world around me and solely focused on the never-ending to-do list that's constantly running through my head and reminding me how I'll never have enough time to get everything done. This was the mindset I found myself in today as I was making the 15-minute walk to work. Look both ways for traffic, need to study for that econ midterm, got to email my boss, got to continue compiling the database (ugh, what a waste of time), need to go grocery shopping, need to...need to...What else am I forgetting?

As I was making my way up the snow-covered hill toward the office I waste 2 hours a day at, already planning how I could procrastinate with Sudoku and a crossword, I spotted the first few geese trodding down the bank of the hill. As I climbed higher, I realized there were more and more geese in the field, mozying from group to group, honking to other geese as part of a lively conversation. There were 123 geese total, the largest flock of geese I've ever seen and I was so amazed by the group that I spent 5 minutes just staring at the group. All at once I became aware of the crispness of the air on my breath and the biting cold on the tips of my exposed fingertips, and the moment suddenly became real. Time, for the first time all week, slowed down and with my mind finally silent I took in my surroundings. The untouched snow in the field and on the hills surrounding campus created a simple brilliance and beauty for the entire area. In that moment I was overcome by an overwhelming calmness. Yes, there was a massive amount of work weighing down on me, but wow, isn't the world a stunning place?

The problem with letting yourself simply go through the motions is that you end up missing the nuances of life that actually make you feel alive. It may be a cliche, but it's true that it is important to let yourself appreciate your surroundings and allow yourself to be amazed by that which is simple. In that field with those geese I broke down the walls I had been building around myself for longer than I can remember and for a fleeting second I just felt free. Those walls will be rebuilt and the stress that accompanies them will return tenfold, but knowing that escape is possible is reassuring, especially when that escape can come from something as mundane as a flock of geese on a snowy day.