Three weeks ago today I was on a boat in the Caribbean watching whales… it seems like a really long time ago. Returning from vacations always seems tough as you go from an absolute thirst for life and living to a more mundane existence – for me the “day to day” life almost feels like a holding pattern at times, stalling for the more meaningful moments of existence. This return has been particularly harsh for some reason as the shock of the “real” world also came with other realizations – I’ve been in LA for several years now, always thinking that this is just a temporary stop; I’m doing a job that in the grand scheme of things isn’t really making the world a better place or changing people’s lives; I’m thirty-three and single… it’s all a bit heavy for a journal entry, but if this journal is meant to capture major life experiences then the past couple of weeks deserve a note.
I’m not one who handles a lot of anxiety well, and luckily I needed to lose some weight as it has been a rough time lately. But it’s not a bad thing – my dad’s sermons (Skipper is a retired minister, for anyone who wasn’t aware) used to repeatedly return to the subject of how the tough times in life are opportunities for self-discovery and change. And he’s very right – it’s often only when life begins to crack that we notice problems that were otherwise unseen. My dad and I haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but he taught a good lesson in this case, and it’s one that makes it a bit easier to deal with anxiety by rephrasing the problem in terms of “this is an opportunity” rather than “this is a crisis”. I’m anxious for it to end, but also excited to see what revelations and changes will come out of it.
Actually, this should be “Has one of your photographs been hijacked?” I know some people make their living from photography, so I thought you should know that your saguaro-sunrise pic seems to have ended up in the sidebar at http://www.alexandgregory.com/cactus_expert.html
This might not be a problem for you, but just in case it would be, I thought I’d let you know. It’s a gorgeous shot, and you should get credit!
Sincerely,
T.
Thanks much for the pointer – it seems next to impossible to make sure images aren’t “borrowed” on the internet, so I’ve tried to make sure I’ve only got low-res versions available online. I’ll be sure to drop the webmaster at the site in question a note asking that he please at least add a credit and a link back to this site.
Take heart…bad times don’t last forever (unless you’re dead). And this is coming from someone who, as you know, tends to look at the world with a “glass half empty” approach.
thanks – i think this one is coming to an end, which is a relief. as awesome as it is to hit points in life that force you to re-evaluate things, it would be nice if they came without the associated nausea and insomnia… also, for what it’s worth i won’t argue that you are often one of the “glass half empty” folks, but (assuming this is carrie) you have moments where it’s impressive to see you go out and grab life, shake it, and make the most of things – witness all of your recent travels and some of the other craziness you’ve managed over the years 🙂