The Best Part About Common Bathrooms?

...no one expects you to sing in the shower.

Words of Wisdom

"If you can walk,

you can dance.

If you can talk,

you can sing."

- Zimbabwean Proverb

"Si puedes caminar,

puedes bailar.

Si puedes hablar,

puedes cantar."

- Proverbio de Zimbabwe

Half a Room

I am difficult to live with.

Don't fight me on this one.

I'm accepting and admitting my faults.

Just run with it.

My track record ran downhill at a young age, when I woke my sisters up at 4 am. Sometimes I needed my audiobook restarted, sometimes I had scary dreams, and sometimes I was just bored and wanted company. (Word to the wise - when you're 20 years old, the last thing you want to do is keep a 3 year old company in the predawn hours.)

It's only gotten worse from there. My rap sheet of roommate atrocities is as long as my arm. From bringing home feeder crickets to letting my life go to shambles on finals week with Britt last year, locking Jenna out at 3am (while she was deathly ill, I might add!) our first night in Ecuador, or, my most recent crimes, getting up at 6 am (even on weekends) and blinding Michaela with my desk light, all while muttering - loudly - to myself in spanish, it becomes easy to see what I'm getting at.

In summary, ladies, I am sorry. You're all wonderful human beings, and shouldn't have (had) to contend with a blanket-fort-dwelling, early-rising, open-window-loving, folk-music-streaming, key-losing, roommate.

But I appreciate it.

What Life Looks Like

I like getting to know places.

It makes them feel less like temporary destinations and more like home.

I remember saying that I didn't know what life would look like once I got here.

Well, past self, here goes...

Life in this moment:

Looks like - an ocean view, plaid flannel shirts, short hair, and a spanish essay that is never going to get finished.

Smells like - sea water, real coffee, sickeningly sweet hand soap, and inner-city exhaust on the drive home from church.

Sounds like - communal worship, guitar jams until midnight in friends' rooms, dance parties, and good questions.

Tastes like - Good Earth tea shared with good company, homemade pizza, cereal for dinner in the cafeteria, and chocolate bread picnics in the grass.

Feels like - sunny afternoons pretending to do homework outside, wind in my face on the freeway, "Pass the Peace" hugs, and finally finding my "fit."

Where from Here?

In the three weeks since we spoke last...

I've said some hard goodbyes, and some long awaited hello-agains, and a whole lot of nice-to-meet-you's.

I've spent some time with family, some time with friends, and some time with myself.

I've left behind places that will forever hold precious memories, re-familiarized myself with the places that will always mean "home," and found new places that may someday become the backdrop to some wonderful stories.

I have settled on the Side of the Sea.

Whether it's the "far" or the "near" depends on the point of reference.

I'm far, once again, from the familiar.

But I'm close to many people and places that I've come to hold dear.

I'm learning the difference between Contentment and Complacency,

between Apathy and Intentionality,

and between Education and Learning.

I'm slowly settling in to my new space, and my new role in this community.

I'm reassured daily that this is where I am supposed to be. But I know that there is a reason behind it, that the adventure that brought me here is not over, but merely paused for the moment.

So my question,

to myself and to the source of power who directed my steps to bring me to this resting point,

My question is...

Where from here?