I am currently in Siem Reap Cambodia- which is home to the magnificent Ankor Temples. The city itself has become a bustling tourist hot spot- (where I have to admit I have fallen into the trap of splurging on Mexican food and ice cream, both of which were very delicious!)-The temples however manage to retain their splendor, even amongst the busloads of anxious crowds filling them and posing for pictures in every mental picture you try to take of the place itself. It is hard to find the feeling of peace that once filled the walls of this city, but it is easy to see how it was possible. The size and detail alone, make it one of those things you really must see to really appreciate. Looking around at the stories told by the walls, and the thanks given by it’s statues, it was apparent just how devoted these people were.
There are many temples in the area, the most popular being Ankor Wat. My personal favorite was Ta Prohm- which also happens to be where Tomb Raider was filmed. The giant roots of the trees that coexist with the remains of pillars and hallways seem to melt off of the walls, dripping their roots down to the ground. It was really beautiful to see these elements intermingle in such a way.
As I walked around, I noticed a lot of the temples were under renovation. I read the signs about who was doing what, and why. I examined the old stones that were laid out ready to be put into their new places. I watched as the groups of workers positioned and camouflaged the stones as if they had never been touched. Some of them were cleaned, and then made to look dirty so they didn’t stand out. Other sections were obviously new, and joined in with the originals. There were elaborate plans, and many countries all with their own projects at each temple. It really made me think about just how much of the integrity was really being saved, and what would happen if no one ever stepped in. I began to have mixed feelings on whether they were restoring the temples, or creating a new Disneyland behind a sacred mask. I wrote a poem on my first thoughts of the process:
We destroy the old, to rebuild it,
To try and save it’s soul,
But refurbishing part of what has been,
Can never show its whole,
We remember things we once had,
With fondest memories,
But filling now with what was,
Will never let you be
Sometimes they say you need to let go of the past, but apparently there are exceptions to that. There are some things in life that are worth giving a second chance. Some things that mean so much more than any label can describe them as. There are some things that need a little help after the effects of time to keep them in tact- (does that make heart transplants and knee replacements our necessary renovations, after all, they also say your body is your temple?)
I was a little annoyed at the renovations at first. I thought, they should just let them be- live in the present…haha- not ruin them with signs and new ideas, and perspectives that totally change what they were built upon. I learned however, that I was wrong. Sometimes we need to let things transform a bit, shift into the present in a way that may not have been part of the original plan. In order for our bodies to stay healthy, our minds to keep expanding, marriages to work- we need to preserve them and make the necessary renovations with the resources we have available. We need to take them apart at times, to rebuild them- making them stronger although they still look just the same- though weathered- as they always have. We need to let others help in times of weakness, to show us new ways to find strength so we don’t crumble. We need to stand tall and through all of the new additions, ideas, and people that are waiting to see our progress, and remember what we stand for. I changed my original thoughts and added to my once complete poem, creating something new from the old:
We destroy the old, to rebuild it,
To try and save it’s soul,
But refurbishing part of what has been,
Can never show its whole,
We remember things we once had,
With fondest memories,
But filling now with what was,
Will never let you be,
But when new and old combine,
In perfect harmony,
They form into what is,
And continue to what will be
Friday, February 6, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Lesson 9: You're Never to old to Live Your Childhood Dreams
When I was younger, I was a dreamer- I can't say that I've changed too much as I've gotten older- but there are certain practicalities I've been forced to adapt, and magic I've stopped believing in, replacing it with logic and boundaries. As a child, I had a big oak tree in the front of my house, which was one of my favorite places in the world. I left reality behind for a taste of wonder as I climbed up with my mothers old sheets and created forts that became my temporary castles. I used to watch Peter Pan and dream that I too would one day find Never Neverland when I thought of a magical thought, (sing along...) any happy little thought... Eventually I surrendered this dream- along with the other of growing a mermaid tail and singing in treasure filled coves while brushing my hair with a fork (thanks Disney!).
As I walked through the jungle, strapped into a harness, I knew I was in for a treat, but I had no idea that I would actually be living out my dream. We ziplined into a treehouse where we'd be living for the next 2 nights- complete with a jungle view shower, mini kitchen, and beds drapped in mosquito nets making them appear more regal than practical. As everyone settled in, I giggled at how I suddenly believed in magic again.
I went off on my own, throwing my head back as I flew through the air from tree to tree, surrounded by the wonder of the Lao jungle. Butterflies said hello, birds laughed, and the gibbons sang filling my flights with the perfect soundtrack. I walked softly through the leaves before finding another line to transform into wings and fly off on. At night I'd hang in the middle of the line- free from boundaries or reason- dangling with the stars as they twinkled around me and lit up the trees.
I was in Neverland, I was carefree, hopeful, believing once again that the world was good and magic is something I posses. It made me realize life really is whatever you believe it to be. If we believe it's hard, unfair and cruel... well it will be. On the other hand, if we can tear down the boundaries we've created, and open the door of possibilities, and think of a magical thought... any happy little thought, with a little bit of faith and trust, and just a bit of pixie dust, ( or in my case a zipline... hehe), you can fly!
As I walked through the jungle, strapped into a harness, I knew I was in for a treat, but I had no idea that I would actually be living out my dream. We ziplined into a treehouse where we'd be living for the next 2 nights- complete with a jungle view shower, mini kitchen, and beds drapped in mosquito nets making them appear more regal than practical. As everyone settled in, I giggled at how I suddenly believed in magic again.
I went off on my own, throwing my head back as I flew through the air from tree to tree, surrounded by the wonder of the Lao jungle. Butterflies said hello, birds laughed, and the gibbons sang filling my flights with the perfect soundtrack. I walked softly through the leaves before finding another line to transform into wings and fly off on. At night I'd hang in the middle of the line- free from boundaries or reason- dangling with the stars as they twinkled around me and lit up the trees.
I was in Neverland, I was carefree, hopeful, believing once again that the world was good and magic is something I posses. It made me realize life really is whatever you believe it to be. If we believe it's hard, unfair and cruel... well it will be. On the other hand, if we can tear down the boundaries we've created, and open the door of possibilities, and think of a magical thought... any happy little thought, with a little bit of faith and trust, and just a bit of pixie dust, ( or in my case a zipline... hehe), you can fly!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Lesson 8: How to Cook
So this lesson is one I thought I could share so you could get an actual taste of the culture and experience some of the local cuisine for yourself! Yesterday we took a cooking class on Laos cuisine. We got to go to the market to get all of the fresh ingredients, and then learn to prepare them. Food is a big part of my life, and I feel such a big part of any culture! Depending on the location and resources of a place, fantastic traditions are created, and it is always a great way to see what they use and how. One of my favorite things when I travel is getting to taste the local dishes, and getting pictures of their presentations of the food. It is really interesting to see how flavors and ingredients you never imagined can pair together, blend so well to form something that you can’t believe you’ve had to go without. It is also interesting to see how much you can learn about people through their eating rituals.
The Laos people are no exception to unique flavors and innovative cooking methods. They love to eat and have many religious ceremonies- centered around Buddhist holidays- that are the making of big feasts. Their food reflects their taste for sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Laos is a very poor country so people have had to eat anything that walks, slithers, swims, stings or flies to increase the protein in their diet. The protein supply in the majority comes from the river fish. In the mountainous north however, they have had to adapt to such delicacies as rats, moles, bats, frogs, and even the larvae of wasps and ants make it into the wok. Unfortunately, I am a vegetarian so I didn’t indulge in any of these treats… but this is one of those times where even some of the meat eaters would opt for tofu!
Lao food is served as it comes out of the wok or off the grill- they have no concept of appetizer, main course or dessert, and do not let the food sit- which we learned as one person had their food for 15 minutes while waiting for the others meal to be prepared! They are also very gracious with their Lao Lao, which is their cheap whiskey- reason being I learned- it is cheaper for them to use than soda or juice!
Our teachers were very efficient at cooking, yet it was obvious they knew only their script in English and had a tough time answering questions! We started our day at the market which was an intricate blend of simple booths set up next to each other selling the same strange ingredients: morning glory, mustard greens, banana flower, galangal, lemongrass, woodear fungus, sticky rice, tamarind, and padak… (better known as fish paste… and impossible to miss as it smells up the entire market with the pungent stench of fermented fish.) There are also plenty of fruits, meats and ready made fried treats to try. It is also great to see the locals shop to get the true price- I realized that the tourist prices I’ve been paying are sometimes 10x more than the locals pay!
After our trip to the market we got to learn how to put all the ingredients to work. It made me realize how lazy I’ve gotten with my cooking when everything I make from scratch comes from a box or pack…haha. Here, everything was locally grown, and organic by default! We sliced, diced, tossed, and tasted our way through the day creating our lunch and dinner. I have picked a recipe that was as easy as pie and soooo yummy, that you can whip up and try for yourself! There shouldn’t be any problems finding the ingredients- as they’re all pretty common. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as I did, and you’ll be able to take your taste buds on a little vacation!
Luang Prabang Salad
Depending on how many you’re making this for you can adjust the veggies as needed, and make in 2 bowls… it is deceptively tasty!
Ingredients:
-About 2 cups Salad leaves- (depending on your preference, romaine, mixed baby greens from the pack are fine mom; )! )
-1 cup watercress-( if you can find it, if not more lettuce is fine!)
-1 sliced tomato
-1 sliced cucumber
-1 tablespoon crushed unsalted peanuts
-1 tablespoon minced pork (optional)
-3 hardboiled eggs
-2 tablespoons oil- (soybean, olive, avacado or canola
-2 tablespoons white vinegar
-1 tablespoon sugar
-1/2 teaspoon white pepper- (black pepper is fine)
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-coriander for garnish (cilantro)
Prepare the mayonnaise
Take 2 of the hardboiled egg yolks and place in a food processor, blender or mixer.
Add the oil, vinegar, sugar, pepper and salt.
Blend until smooth
Make the salad
Spoon half of the mayo onto the salad leaves and watercress and mix well in a bowl.
Place the sliced cucumber around the salad in a circle, and the sliced tomato above it.
Placed the sliced egg on top of the cucumber and tomato, and use any leftover egg whites to garnish the salad.
Sprinkle the crushed peanuts and some of the coriander on top of the salad.
If using pork, fry it in a little oil and when cooked place on top of the salad.
Use remaining mayo to drizzle over salad, or serve on the side to add to taste.
The Laos people are no exception to unique flavors and innovative cooking methods. They love to eat and have many religious ceremonies- centered around Buddhist holidays- that are the making of big feasts. Their food reflects their taste for sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Laos is a very poor country so people have had to eat anything that walks, slithers, swims, stings or flies to increase the protein in their diet. The protein supply in the majority comes from the river fish. In the mountainous north however, they have had to adapt to such delicacies as rats, moles, bats, frogs, and even the larvae of wasps and ants make it into the wok. Unfortunately, I am a vegetarian so I didn’t indulge in any of these treats… but this is one of those times where even some of the meat eaters would opt for tofu!
Lao food is served as it comes out of the wok or off the grill- they have no concept of appetizer, main course or dessert, and do not let the food sit- which we learned as one person had their food for 15 minutes while waiting for the others meal to be prepared! They are also very gracious with their Lao Lao, which is their cheap whiskey- reason being I learned- it is cheaper for them to use than soda or juice!
Our teachers were very efficient at cooking, yet it was obvious they knew only their script in English and had a tough time answering questions! We started our day at the market which was an intricate blend of simple booths set up next to each other selling the same strange ingredients: morning glory, mustard greens, banana flower, galangal, lemongrass, woodear fungus, sticky rice, tamarind, and padak… (better known as fish paste… and impossible to miss as it smells up the entire market with the pungent stench of fermented fish.) There are also plenty of fruits, meats and ready made fried treats to try. It is also great to see the locals shop to get the true price- I realized that the tourist prices I’ve been paying are sometimes 10x more than the locals pay!
After our trip to the market we got to learn how to put all the ingredients to work. It made me realize how lazy I’ve gotten with my cooking when everything I make from scratch comes from a box or pack…haha. Here, everything was locally grown, and organic by default! We sliced, diced, tossed, and tasted our way through the day creating our lunch and dinner. I have picked a recipe that was as easy as pie and soooo yummy, that you can whip up and try for yourself! There shouldn’t be any problems finding the ingredients- as they’re all pretty common. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as I did, and you’ll be able to take your taste buds on a little vacation!
Luang Prabang Salad
Depending on how many you’re making this for you can adjust the veggies as needed, and make in 2 bowls… it is deceptively tasty!
Ingredients:
-About 2 cups Salad leaves- (depending on your preference, romaine, mixed baby greens from the pack are fine mom; )! )
-1 cup watercress-( if you can find it, if not more lettuce is fine!)
-1 sliced tomato
-1 sliced cucumber
-1 tablespoon crushed unsalted peanuts
-1 tablespoon minced pork (optional)
-3 hardboiled eggs
-2 tablespoons oil- (soybean, olive, avacado or canola
-2 tablespoons white vinegar
-1 tablespoon sugar
-1/2 teaspoon white pepper- (black pepper is fine)
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-coriander for garnish (cilantro)
Prepare the mayonnaise
Take 2 of the hardboiled egg yolks and place in a food processor, blender or mixer.
Add the oil, vinegar, sugar, pepper and salt.
Blend until smooth
Make the salad
Spoon half of the mayo onto the salad leaves and watercress and mix well in a bowl.
Place the sliced cucumber around the salad in a circle, and the sliced tomato above it.
Placed the sliced egg on top of the cucumber and tomato, and use any leftover egg whites to garnish the salad.
Sprinkle the crushed peanuts and some of the coriander on top of the salad.
If using pork, fry it in a little oil and when cooked place on top of the salad.
Use remaining mayo to drizzle over salad, or serve on the side to add to taste.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Lesson 7: The Value of Things
I am currently in Luang Prabang, Laos, and LAO-ving it here! We have been staying at a cute little guesthouse with free bananas, hot water, a cute family, and friendly local boy who speaks great English and loves playing my guitar! We have made some other friends as well that have come and gone.
One of our friends staying here at the moment, is an older man from Poland. His name is Peter, and he is traveling around shooting a documentary on life in Southeast Asia. He recently got caught in the middle of a fight and was pushed down stairs of a temple, thus injuring his leg. Lately, he has been restricted to sit outside the guesthouse since he can’t walk for a few days. I have been sitting and chatting with him about what he has learned and what he has noticed about the effects of Westerners on their culture. It’s so interesting to get an inside view on all of these areas and people. As he was showing me pictures from his travels the other evening, and telling me stories of the local people he had met along the way, there was one story that really got me.
He was sitting by one of the temples in Cambodia- not one of the main ones, but still visited by tourists. There was a man sitting outside who was playing the flute while his young daughter sang. The man was blind, and the young girl had a string from her arm to her fathers that acted as a guide for him. In his description, the man was wearing a dirty shirt, and his daughter had a rag that was wrapped around her acting as a dress. He sat and watched them for a while, and saw not one person who stopped to listen as they performed leave money for the duo.
He couldn’t help but be captivated by the beauty of this scene unfolding before him. He went up to the man and gave him 50,000 kip- which is about $6 US, but in Laos is like $100! He told him that if he came back to this place tomorrow a little earlier so there was daylight, he would give him another equal sum. The man agreed, and thanked him for his kindness.
The next day they met again at the same place, and as he walked up, he noticed that the man had bought new clothes for himself and his daughter and brought his baby as well, who was also in nice clothes. Peter laughed as he said to the man, “Why have you gone out and used the money I gave you to get new clothes?” “You did something nice for me,” replied the man, “so I wanted to return the favor and make sure we looked nice for your photo. We do not have much besides each other, and wanted to give you a gift.”
The thing was, Peter wanted to show those clothes and the simplicity of these people. By getting new clothes, the man actually ruined Peter’s idea for the picture. However, he also gave Peter a deeper look into the selfless and loving hearts of these people. The act of this man showed Peter just how much giving can return, as he was full of joy and thankful for the lesson he had learned. He said this event was the highlight of his trip and the photo he took turned out to be one of his favorites!
It’s so interesting how these people who have nothing, still take the time to give what they do have to others. Yes, the children beg, and tuk-tuk drivers try to overcharge you, but at the core, these are a very kind and giving people. Among themselves, they all work together to make money and share food. They take care of each other, work together and function as more of a whole unit- unlike the each for their own attitude we have in the US.
It really made me think, what if we worked like that? What if rather than competing against each other, we realized that one person’s success does not depend on another’s failure? What if we saw that when we give to others- not only for a tax write off, but out of pure love- that we always receive more than enough in return? What if we all knew our neighbors, looked out for them, and helped each other? How greatly could our lives be affected by such changes in perspective?
I found that the less I own, the more I have. When I had no apartment, I realized the world was my home. When I let go of my attachment to things, I found I had whatever I needed at exactly the right moment. I think about something I heard from Louise L. Hay that makes so much sense. She says that we are so worried about money and things that we will never have enough-when there is something much more vital that we rarely worry about and always have, our breath. If we can trust in this, something far more important to our existence, we should be able to trust that we will have whatever else we need as well.
The man in Peter’s story did not take the money in greed, he took it in love, and because of that, got it all back plus more- as seeing Peter giving the man $ encouraged others and the man and his children made more in tips that day than they ever had. If a man who has so little- yet always has what he needs- can still be so full of love and thanks, maybe we can be too!
One of our friends staying here at the moment, is an older man from Poland. His name is Peter, and he is traveling around shooting a documentary on life in Southeast Asia. He recently got caught in the middle of a fight and was pushed down stairs of a temple, thus injuring his leg. Lately, he has been restricted to sit outside the guesthouse since he can’t walk for a few days. I have been sitting and chatting with him about what he has learned and what he has noticed about the effects of Westerners on their culture. It’s so interesting to get an inside view on all of these areas and people. As he was showing me pictures from his travels the other evening, and telling me stories of the local people he had met along the way, there was one story that really got me.
He was sitting by one of the temples in Cambodia- not one of the main ones, but still visited by tourists. There was a man sitting outside who was playing the flute while his young daughter sang. The man was blind, and the young girl had a string from her arm to her fathers that acted as a guide for him. In his description, the man was wearing a dirty shirt, and his daughter had a rag that was wrapped around her acting as a dress. He sat and watched them for a while, and saw not one person who stopped to listen as they performed leave money for the duo.
He couldn’t help but be captivated by the beauty of this scene unfolding before him. He went up to the man and gave him 50,000 kip- which is about $6 US, but in Laos is like $100! He told him that if he came back to this place tomorrow a little earlier so there was daylight, he would give him another equal sum. The man agreed, and thanked him for his kindness.
The next day they met again at the same place, and as he walked up, he noticed that the man had bought new clothes for himself and his daughter and brought his baby as well, who was also in nice clothes. Peter laughed as he said to the man, “Why have you gone out and used the money I gave you to get new clothes?” “You did something nice for me,” replied the man, “so I wanted to return the favor and make sure we looked nice for your photo. We do not have much besides each other, and wanted to give you a gift.”
The thing was, Peter wanted to show those clothes and the simplicity of these people. By getting new clothes, the man actually ruined Peter’s idea for the picture. However, he also gave Peter a deeper look into the selfless and loving hearts of these people. The act of this man showed Peter just how much giving can return, as he was full of joy and thankful for the lesson he had learned. He said this event was the highlight of his trip and the photo he took turned out to be one of his favorites!
It’s so interesting how these people who have nothing, still take the time to give what they do have to others. Yes, the children beg, and tuk-tuk drivers try to overcharge you, but at the core, these are a very kind and giving people. Among themselves, they all work together to make money and share food. They take care of each other, work together and function as more of a whole unit- unlike the each for their own attitude we have in the US.
It really made me think, what if we worked like that? What if rather than competing against each other, we realized that one person’s success does not depend on another’s failure? What if we saw that when we give to others- not only for a tax write off, but out of pure love- that we always receive more than enough in return? What if we all knew our neighbors, looked out for them, and helped each other? How greatly could our lives be affected by such changes in perspective?
I found that the less I own, the more I have. When I had no apartment, I realized the world was my home. When I let go of my attachment to things, I found I had whatever I needed at exactly the right moment. I think about something I heard from Louise L. Hay that makes so much sense. She says that we are so worried about money and things that we will never have enough-when there is something much more vital that we rarely worry about and always have, our breath. If we can trust in this, something far more important to our existence, we should be able to trust that we will have whatever else we need as well.
The man in Peter’s story did not take the money in greed, he took it in love, and because of that, got it all back plus more- as seeing Peter giving the man $ encouraged others and the man and his children made more in tips that day than they ever had. If a man who has so little- yet always has what he needs- can still be so full of love and thanks, maybe we can be too!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Lesson 6: You Can Give In, But Never Give Up
We had a bus booked for 10am in the morning and it was 9:37, but neither of us wanted to leave Vang Viene yet so we changed our bus ticket, and booked ourselves in for a day of rock climbing and both slept well with our decision.
In the morning we head off to the site on a tuk tuk, took a boat across the water, and a long look at the beauty before us. The mountains here are absolutely breathtaking. You must see them to really appreciate their majesty. We walked a couple feet and there lie our hallway of walls to climb.
Now we were all beginners, so we got an intro and safety talk. For those of you who have ever done any extreme sport you know the safety talk is always a bit intimidating!! “Be careful or you will surely die,” our guide told us. That made me a bit nervous- I was planning on this being cake. The warning was followed by, “You can give in if your body can’t make it, but never give up.” Oh sure I thought, I can die trying!
My first climb went better than I thought- it wasn’t as hard as I predicted, and it was really fun once you make it to the top! The second and third were a bit more of a challenge, but I was a better climber than I thought, so easily accomplished! The fourth climb was a bit more difficult- the guide couldn’t make it and had to send up his buddy. Then none of the other climbers could get past a certain point. I was already weak, but determined.
I looked closely at the wall and started strong, I was flying up! “What a monkey,” people said! I felt good about the outcome… and then I hit that point! I got a little past the others, but there was a hole I couldn’t gather enough strength to boost my foot into. I fell back and my body was relieved to have a rest. “Hold on,” I told my support below, “I want to try again.” After a brief swing, while I gave a show to those below, I went in again for the goal. I tried to push up quickly and waste less of my strength, yet still, I fell back. I rested again, and pulled myself together to do this- I refused to give up!! With a shaking leg and two jelly arms, I finally gave in! I fell to the ground still satisfied, because I knew I had given it my all!
I was tired and weak from all the climbs, but everyone decided to do one more- another hard one, 6A+ on the scale. I watched as people tried and failed. One of the guys, who had climbed before, made it! So it could be done! I was tired though, already weak from the day.
I grabbed my shoes and laced them onto my feet before my mind had even decided to go. I stood up grabbed the rope and went for it. It didn’t look as high, but damn was it hard! I fell, tried again, and fell again. I hung there for a moment, okay, I had tried, time to come down. “Ok, I’m happy,” I mumbled. Deep inside I knew that wasn’t true though- I was weak, but not weak enough to give in. I looked around for some kind of grip and saw no options. Then, I reached up anyways, and decided to try again. I would give in, but never give up. My leg wasn’t shaking yet, so I kept pushing! I felt around for any little fragment of rock I could use to keep going up. It took me a good 3 minutes, but after a few more falls, and a few more cuts, I made it to the top where I literally kissed the last clip!!
There are so many times in life where you reach a point and you feel stuck! There is no where else to go. No foot hole, no grip for either hand. You want to give up, but just when you think it’s over, your hand falls into the perfect spot and you boost yourself up just a little, which lets you know you can. There have been so many times in life where I have climbed so far, put in so much time, made such progress… only to get to a point where I get stuck and see no other option. In those moments I sometimes gave up. However, there were times where I let go and stopped looking so hard, and prayed. I trusted that life would show me another way I didn’t yet see. Well, in those times, I always made it to the top.
There are those points we get to where we want to reach the top, but it is still too difficult for us. We try, but we have to give in at the end. In those times, you will know because you will still feel good at the end. You may want to try again once you are more prepared or skilled- but you still reached your personal top.
Sometimes you may have to take a step back in life in order to find a better way to move forward. You may have to fall, take a break, and try again. You may even have to keep falling over and over! As long as you allow yourself to take the time you need-no matter how many people are watching or judging, and keep faith that you can do this, YOU CAN- and better yet YOU WILL!
In the morning we head off to the site on a tuk tuk, took a boat across the water, and a long look at the beauty before us. The mountains here are absolutely breathtaking. You must see them to really appreciate their majesty. We walked a couple feet and there lie our hallway of walls to climb.
Now we were all beginners, so we got an intro and safety talk. For those of you who have ever done any extreme sport you know the safety talk is always a bit intimidating!! “Be careful or you will surely die,” our guide told us. That made me a bit nervous- I was planning on this being cake. The warning was followed by, “You can give in if your body can’t make it, but never give up.” Oh sure I thought, I can die trying!
My first climb went better than I thought- it wasn’t as hard as I predicted, and it was really fun once you make it to the top! The second and third were a bit more of a challenge, but I was a better climber than I thought, so easily accomplished! The fourth climb was a bit more difficult- the guide couldn’t make it and had to send up his buddy. Then none of the other climbers could get past a certain point. I was already weak, but determined.
I looked closely at the wall and started strong, I was flying up! “What a monkey,” people said! I felt good about the outcome… and then I hit that point! I got a little past the others, but there was a hole I couldn’t gather enough strength to boost my foot into. I fell back and my body was relieved to have a rest. “Hold on,” I told my support below, “I want to try again.” After a brief swing, while I gave a show to those below, I went in again for the goal. I tried to push up quickly and waste less of my strength, yet still, I fell back. I rested again, and pulled myself together to do this- I refused to give up!! With a shaking leg and two jelly arms, I finally gave in! I fell to the ground still satisfied, because I knew I had given it my all!
I was tired and weak from all the climbs, but everyone decided to do one more- another hard one, 6A+ on the scale. I watched as people tried and failed. One of the guys, who had climbed before, made it! So it could be done! I was tired though, already weak from the day.
I grabbed my shoes and laced them onto my feet before my mind had even decided to go. I stood up grabbed the rope and went for it. It didn’t look as high, but damn was it hard! I fell, tried again, and fell again. I hung there for a moment, okay, I had tried, time to come down. “Ok, I’m happy,” I mumbled. Deep inside I knew that wasn’t true though- I was weak, but not weak enough to give in. I looked around for some kind of grip and saw no options. Then, I reached up anyways, and decided to try again. I would give in, but never give up. My leg wasn’t shaking yet, so I kept pushing! I felt around for any little fragment of rock I could use to keep going up. It took me a good 3 minutes, but after a few more falls, and a few more cuts, I made it to the top where I literally kissed the last clip!!
There are so many times in life where you reach a point and you feel stuck! There is no where else to go. No foot hole, no grip for either hand. You want to give up, but just when you think it’s over, your hand falls into the perfect spot and you boost yourself up just a little, which lets you know you can. There have been so many times in life where I have climbed so far, put in so much time, made such progress… only to get to a point where I get stuck and see no other option. In those moments I sometimes gave up. However, there were times where I let go and stopped looking so hard, and prayed. I trusted that life would show me another way I didn’t yet see. Well, in those times, I always made it to the top.
There are those points we get to where we want to reach the top, but it is still too difficult for us. We try, but we have to give in at the end. In those times, you will know because you will still feel good at the end. You may want to try again once you are more prepared or skilled- but you still reached your personal top.
Sometimes you may have to take a step back in life in order to find a better way to move forward. You may have to fall, take a break, and try again. You may even have to keep falling over and over! As long as you allow yourself to take the time you need-no matter how many people are watching or judging, and keep faith that you can do this, YOU CAN- and better yet YOU WILL!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Lesson 5: The Importance of Paragraphs- Discovering the Enter Key
For those of you who know me- which I’m assuming all 4 of you do…hehe, you know that I march to the beat of my own drummer. I have my own way of doing things, which sometimes makes it hard for other people to understand me, but it works in my world. When I talk, it is very rare that I have a structured clear conversation- unless of course it’s about food which I pride myself on being very accurate at describing. So, when my friend was reading my blog and was horrified at the cluster that existed before her, it came as a surprise to me. “That’s just my style,” I told her. “Oh my gosh,” she shrieked, “I would never read a blog that didn’t have paragraphs!” Was it really that big of a deal? I mean it’s how my brain works- no time for breaks or I forget what I was thinking, I just spit it all out and it’s done. “You have to use paragraphs,” she scolded, “Every thought should have a break between it.” Hmmmm… this could change everything- but I was never one to pass up a chance to try something new. I moved my finger over to a button I had seldom pushed… ENTER!
Wow. New Paragraph, new thought- that was easy.
I did it again. Another thought. The page looks so much different!
How about those Yankees? Rough year.
What do I want for dinner?
Oh so many thoughts, and now they all have their very own place on the page. Maybe I was missing out never taking breaks all these years… which got me to thinking…
A new thought…haha! I do the same thing in life. I always seem to be on the go go go. I feel like I should have good answers to everyones questions about exactly what I’m doing with my life. So rather than just press the enter key and exist in the space before the next paragraph of my life, I keep going on. I feel guilty if I ever just take a break to give myself the chance to start a new paragraph. So I constantly keep dragging out this long paragraph in hopes that it will just get better. What I’ve realized is paragraphs make sense.
I like starting a new thought. Giving people a chance to see separate ideas, and it does make it so much easier to read. When I press enter, I create new thoughts, end one era and begin a new. If the last paragraph was sad, I can start the next one happy. It’s so great!
What if I could start using the enter key in my life? Not feeling guilty about taking a break between jobs. Being honest when people ask what I’m doing right now, and tell them, “Oh, I’m actually in between paragraphs right now.” I mean it’s the space between that creates the paragraphs. Without that space it would just be, well like one of my other blogs. What if I could and one thought at the period, press the enter key and find the next thought after the space between?
Who’d have thought that I had to come to Asia to learn proper English grammar- and learn grammar to figure out that my life is in between paragraphs. I am traveling the world, learning about other cultures and finding out things about myself that I will use to create the next paragraph of my life- but this space is necessary. Not to mention… Space is fun- it is where you can create and gather new ideas and look back at your other paragraphs. It is where you can try something you didn’t in your last paragraph, or something you had thought about and never got around to. People really do underestimate the importance of this important rule of grammar.
I am now a paragraph person. I will use paragraphs, press enter, and continue to separate things as needed as I create the rest of this life that I am currently writing.
Wow. New Paragraph, new thought- that was easy.
I did it again. Another thought. The page looks so much different!
How about those Yankees? Rough year.
What do I want for dinner?
Oh so many thoughts, and now they all have their very own place on the page. Maybe I was missing out never taking breaks all these years… which got me to thinking…
A new thought…haha! I do the same thing in life. I always seem to be on the go go go. I feel like I should have good answers to everyones questions about exactly what I’m doing with my life. So rather than just press the enter key and exist in the space before the next paragraph of my life, I keep going on. I feel guilty if I ever just take a break to give myself the chance to start a new paragraph. So I constantly keep dragging out this long paragraph in hopes that it will just get better. What I’ve realized is paragraphs make sense.
I like starting a new thought. Giving people a chance to see separate ideas, and it does make it so much easier to read. When I press enter, I create new thoughts, end one era and begin a new. If the last paragraph was sad, I can start the next one happy. It’s so great!
What if I could start using the enter key in my life? Not feeling guilty about taking a break between jobs. Being honest when people ask what I’m doing right now, and tell them, “Oh, I’m actually in between paragraphs right now.” I mean it’s the space between that creates the paragraphs. Without that space it would just be, well like one of my other blogs. What if I could and one thought at the period, press the enter key and find the next thought after the space between?
Who’d have thought that I had to come to Asia to learn proper English grammar- and learn grammar to figure out that my life is in between paragraphs. I am traveling the world, learning about other cultures and finding out things about myself that I will use to create the next paragraph of my life- but this space is necessary. Not to mention… Space is fun- it is where you can create and gather new ideas and look back at your other paragraphs. It is where you can try something you didn’t in your last paragraph, or something you had thought about and never got around to. People really do underestimate the importance of this important rule of grammar.
I am now a paragraph person. I will use paragraphs, press enter, and continue to separate things as needed as I create the rest of this life that I am currently writing.
Lesson 4: You Can Keep Up With the News, But You Can't Predict the Weather
I hate the cold, to me being from Florida, and now Cali, I have never really had to spend much time in the frigid weather that so many of my loved ones call home: ) I am currently in Vang Viene, Laos sitting under a blanket bundled up and FREEZING! I went to Koh Pangang to get sun, and it rained from the ferry ride there, to the ferry ride onward. I went to Krabi under the impression it wouldn’t stop raining, and found sun. I am headed north where it’s supposed to be even colder than here, but only time will tell. I have decided that despite what people say, you never know how the weather is going to be until you’re in it. You can have an idea, but you never really know for sure. The main attraction here is tubing, so when we arrived in the bitter cold, I was less than thrilled. However thanks to the sun and the free whiskey shots they hand out along the river, tubing wasn’t as cold as I had predicted either, it was actually quite nice, and we managed to find a fire at the end where we dried off and warmed up. Once again, my predictions on the weather didn’t match the outcome. I was thinking about how many times in life I was planning for rain, or disappointment, and how much happier I was when I found even a small bit of joy. On the other hand, when I built something up as amazing, be it a movie, or an event, I was usually disappointed in the end. So, how do you know what to bring if you don’t know the weather? Well, come prepared! I’ve found you should be ready and willing for any weather you may face along the road of life and enjoy the circumstances it may bring. Talk to any traveler and they don’t tell you about the sunny days on the beach, they tell you about the flash floods in the jungle where they slid down the side of a mountain, crashing their mini bus and all had to crawl to safety through mud and rocks, but got to see a lot of beautiful unspoiled territory. They brag about the time they got gassed in a bus and had all their money, and cameras stolen, but ended up having a passport party because no one had that taken, and that is priceless on the road. They throw up all around you and take your help before a proper introduction, and then tell you bout the food that got them in this state. It’s the little roadblocks along the way that make life interesting, they give you a chance to use your brain and figure something out. They create instant groups of friends when you all have to work together to make sure you survive and keep your passports with you. They create less worry about all the small things when you realize you made it through a big scare to tell the story. They don’t ever get any easier to handle at the time, or even less frustrating or painful, but in the end, they’re all part of the climate!
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