So I came home today and there was a box on my doorstep...
This post is about that, and how synthetic materials and card board made me cry.
I am the kind of person who selects "In Store Pickup" because I can't stand to wait for the UPS truck to come. I am the queen of finding the fastest and most efficient way to accomplish things. I abhor wasted time, especially in the context of life goals. I stuck with my original undergrad degree choice, graduated on time with no changes, and was employed in my field within two months of graduating. Can anyone out there relate?
Boom! Get 'er done. Big stuff, small stuff, why can't it just happen now? In some cases, it can. What I am about to advocate, is that it shouldn't.
The reason is way deeper than you may expect - delaying gratification and all that jazz is a sign of solid character. It is way more than that. I've even created a diagram to help out. But before you get concerned, let me reassure you that the bit of info below may put life, yours and others, into a clear perspective.
So, why shouldn't we have our future now? Why does time need to be involved in change and progress?
Enter "Creative Systems Theory." (Here is the diagram too.)
Before our 8 hr climb of the 1st Flatiron.
In the past 12 months I've taken 24 credits on the human condition. From psychopathology, to groups, to how we need love to thrive as individuals. I've read more than I'll ever retain. I've been horrified and mesmerized and awe inspired at the depths of the human soul. With these new tools and perspectives, I've begun peering even deeper into mine.
Last night I went to see the premier (OMG) of the REEL ROCK 7 film tour in Boulder, CO. It was phenomenal. And I got to meet Alex Honnold (I peed myself a little). I couldn't help but notice that it was a bit nippy outside (and inside). Wait - summer isn't endless? I was sure it would last forever this time. People all over Chautaqua last night were sporting their latest Pata-gucci puffy. The elite Boulder climbers were out on the town.
With the weather turning cold, I went through my closet and pulled out a favorite:
The EMS Divergence Fleece Jacket.
(Who needs Pata-gucci?)
So this blog isn't dead. (And neither are my hopes and dreams. More on that in a second.)
I wanted to get that off my chest right away. "They" say that the average lifespan of a blog is less than two years. Mine has been around for a bit longer than that now. That's a win right there. The absence of posting over the summer, however, would suggest that I am no longer active as a writer. The contrary is true: I'm writing constantly - for grad school - which leaves little time for anything else. My summer job took my time, grad school took my brain. Nothing is left for the internet.
But I have a dream...
You hear that word over and over in climbing. “Yo bra! You just gotta commit to that move!” or “That 14 pitch 5.11 trad climb in Canada is super committing.” If you climb, you know that feeling, that moment - when you HAVE to commit. If you don’t, you fail.
I love road trips...
I've written about
long road trips before. This past year I've taken five 14 hour or more road trips. There is something about hitting the road, especially alone, that clears my head and makes room for all kinds of possibility.
I am blessed to have to drive down to Prescott, AZ twice a semester for
grad school colloquium. The trip is usually great, but this last one was particularly amazing...
Summit of the Grand
I thought this is an appropriate title for this post, since last year was "Hello 2011." I've said good bye to many things this year - comfort, security, people and my idea of "normal." Good Bye seems fitting.
This post is a bit more serious than the last yearly reflection. It might just be the place I'm in at the moment, but I hope that my look inward helps you do the same in a way that goes beyond trite resolutions and into the kind of person you want to become.
My goal for 2011 was to learn balance. Instead I ended up throwing myself farther over the edge of what I thought was possible, pushed my limits and learned more about myself in one year than I have in the last 5. Lets see what this year taught me.
RSS Feed
