Happy Birthday Orissa! My baby is 19 today. I hope your day is magnificent and filled with love, chica. <3
This is it. My last post before I leave for Ghana...
I have realized in the past year, thanks to someone I met on a bus in Bolivia, that I am a person who truly lives in the moment. What this sometimes means for me is that I miss some of the excitement of what's to come, simply because I am not thinking of the future. I'll be en route somewhere and almost forget why, for example, I am spending 16 hours on a rickety bus to Santa Cruz! My anticipation is more of a faint buzz than thoughts of all the specific possibilities awaiting me. It's like... I'm happy just to know that adventures will happen and don't bother myself too much with exactly what they will be. I wouldn't have it any other way, but meeting that person, at that time, let me experience the joy of really thinking about things to come. The two of us spent many minutes, could have been hours, who knows, exclaiming over what we thought the jungle might be like... and I liked having someone to show me that new perspective.
In this case I am back to my natural state of flow... going with it, that is. I am here, now and that is where my focus is, for the most part. A chunk of the past may wander by at times, but the future tends to stay in its place. And that's okay with me. But here, if I want that extra excitement, I can always find one of the great women of my group to dream with!
So, right now I am at the hostel in Montreal, about to go out and wander around the city. The last couple of days have all run together in my mind; Monday and Tuesday's endless errands, packing and laundry, saying goodbye to my host family, my coworkers from the Red Cross coming to visit at camp, a LONG day of debriefing at Sunshine Camp yesterday, singing and meditating around the campfire, a very SHORT night of sleep last night, the flight, the bad, sleep-deprivation-induced jokes, the mountains of luggage... What exactly is in all those bags is beyond me! Seriously, people, our group has enough luggage to sink a small yacht. Hopefully not enough to take down a 767 though, otherwise I will be going for the second atlantic swim of my life!
I'm sorry for the lack of news on plans once we arrive in Ghana. But like I said... "in the moment" kind of person! I know that we are going to the beach on our first real day in the country... that's about it. Once I get settled and the future becomes the present I will have more to share! So, here goes... off to AFRICA!
We leave for Ghana (via London) tomorrow night at seven.
Con mucho amor,
Julia
Julia,
ReplyDelete"In the moment" is good. When you don't think of the future, you avoid the 'worry' factor. You are too young to worry. Enjoy every moment, every sight, every smell, every smile in Africa. It is about to awaken senses you didn't know you had.
We are off to our camp in Baja today. We've prayed for safe travels for all of us. Always thinking of you and praying for you. See you in March!
Love,
the Ivans
Julia,
ReplyDeletei think seeing whats right in front of you and valuing it in the moment is a very rare and special gift, one that doesn't breed the insecurities of looking ahead.
The excitement of being so close to the jungle should be all the foresight you need.
I hope you carry the same mindset with you in your Ghana trip. Help, eat, look, listen, keep your heart and senses as open as always,
and buy a groovy pair of pijama pants.
With love,
the boy from the bus.