Worth the Whim

The only time I bought a one way flight on the same day of departure was for a family emergency last summer. It was frantic and sudden, more worrisome than exciting. REWIND: The day before I left to Puerto Rico, I got into a minor car collision. A lady ran a red light and kissed my …

Compassion in Companions

The Dalai Lama believes the purpose of life is to seek happiness; meaning, the liberation from suffering. What's the polar opposite of suffering? Pleasure. However, people get confused between pleasure [external events creating gratification] and happiness [internal peace of mind creating contentment].  Some context: [1] was in Jacksonville/Savannah this past week. [2] was reading The Art of Happiness (A Handbook for …

When Time Stays Still

This instance was especially notable to me because, with the idea that traveling can change a person's perspective, I didn’t have to actually travel anywhere – I didn’t have to leave in order to come back seeing things differently. I stayed here in Colorado and it was he who changed me with his traveling.

Euphoria, Elation, Exhilaration

"Act my age? What the fuck is that, 'act my age'? What do I care how old I am? The Ocean is old as fuck. It will still drown your ass with vigor." What does it mean to 'have your shit together'? Per definition, it's to get one's thoughts and/or possessions organized. But how do …

Mindfulness in Bali

It hasn't even been 48 hours since I've been back home from Bali.... And I literally could have died this morning. Slight exaggeration as there could have been a worse outcome, but still, a very true statement. On my drive to work today, I got into a bad car accident. The kind of bad that …

Every Friend Was Once a Stranger

One thing on my Life List was to travel with a stranger. Well, the opportunity (sort of) presented itself and I took it. In my head, I pictured backpacking somewhere, meeting someone in a hostel, and then deciding to go to the next place together. This wasn't that specific scenario, but nonetheless, I went to …