The sun rises earlier now, and I’ve found it to be such a good wake up call. I like waking up early, and when I don’t set my alarm I wake up with the sun. It’s a good trade. I also kind of tend to think that the sunrises are more beautiful earlier in the morning (silly, I know). But here’s my most recent one:
Although I had traveled to Mexico before, I had never gone too far from the states. My first trip to Colombia in June opened my eyes to my love for South America. It’s kind of funny now, when I look back on my life goals, traveling to South America was NOT on that list. I never saw myself there, or even having any kind of passion for it. But now, as I’m sitting here writing about my favorite place on earth, I can’t even believe how much change I’ve gone through to get to this point in my life.
My 2nd trip to Colombia gave me a lot of perspective and insight for my life and future. I cannot even see a future without Colombia in it. I feel somehow spiritually connected to that place now, like God Himself has drawn me there.
On my first trip to Colombia, I thought it was just another place to explore and maybe meet new people, have something new to write about, etc. But it turned out to be so much more. It turned out to be a turning point for my life; a catalyst for change, and playing a very serious role in my future and relationships. As the next few months rolled on, and I got back into my “normal” routine in the states (work, family, writing, work work work), I couldn’t get Colombia out of my head. I began to feel a longing to be there again; to be among the people of Bogota, to see those people who changed my life. So I bought a ticket to Colombia for October 10-20.
I know this won’t be the first time I’ve said this, and I absolutely know it won’t be the last (because things can only keep getting better and better), but that trip totally changed my life. Spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally; in almost every way imaginable. I’m not very good at explaining how I feel verbally, but I can do it pretty well when I write; so this blog post is dedicated to my family/friends of Colombia! I couldn’t really tell you how much you all mean to me (my terrible speaking skills, combined with the language barrier – well, you get it ;) so maybe you can gain a better understanding when you read this. I know most of you will be using google translate (I know, I use it too! It’s so great!), and maybe one day I will speak spanish so well, I will write an entire blog post just in spanish! Haha, anyway, back to the point -
I went into this trip expecting God to reveal Himself and His secrets to me, to resolve some relational problems with some people, and reveal important connections that I needed to make. He did all of that and more! He completely surprised me in every way, and I cannot thank Him enough for His faithfulness. God came to me every night, waking me up, or just being in the room with me, letting me feel His presence, revealing His nature to my seeking heart. I can’t tell you the experiences I had with Him (not all of them, anyway), but they were life changing and intimate. I feel so humbled that He approached me so closely on this trip. He is so good.
He also revealed Himself to me through relationships. The close, intimate conversations with friends, worship sessions, or just being with people who have Him inside of them. I fell in love with them, because they were in love with God. I got to see their hearts, and I was captivated by it. I know that my future is intertwined with theirs, somewhere down the road.
If you know me intimately (or through divine inspiration), you know that I feel a lot and see a lot more than I say. For me, this trip was more than I even have words for. I can’t even write it, and I’m usually good at that – but this feeling has no words. It’s kind of like gratefulness, but deeper. Kind of like admiration, but deeper. Maybe love – but even that word doesn’t feel like it does it justice. I know some of my Colombian friends were left wondering, when all I could say was “awww” or look as if I was about to burst into tears. But I just couldn’t convey to them my admiration for each one of them. They have become my family. Our connections are deeper now, more real. I feel like I’m just repeating myself, but I just don’t know what to say.
One thing I am immensely thankful for on this trip, was the constant welcome I felt from every person. Even though I hardly spoke a word of spanish, and I was incredibly white with crazy short hair, they made me feel like one of them. All the Papasito’s, mi hermanos, y mi hermanas. ;)
I don’t know how the future will look; marriage, living situations, relationships, family, jobs – I don’t know if any of those things will be in Colombia or not, but I feel that Colombia will forever be a part of my future somehow, whatever that looks like. God has set up divine relationships; relationships that will last forever, and only He knows the outcome – and whatever that outcome is, I embrace it wholeheartedly!
Not only was this a trip of awakening for my spirit, but it was also filled with a lot of fun and adventures! Too many adventures to count, or write about, so I’ll just share a few foto’s I took on the trip (my favorite ones):
It was a good trip :)
I can’t wait to see what happens next in my relationships with my beautiful Colombian family! God has a plan for these relationships! Only time will tell :)
This morning, the sky looked like it would open up at any moment and rain down it’s fury (at one point it did, thankfully as we were leaving). But I thought it made for some good photos. Let me know what you think.
Sundays are my bliss days. On the weekdays I wake up for work at 4 am, and leave for work at 5. Sundays are the only mornings I can really go to the beach to shoot the sunrise. It’s an escape for me. I am able to shed all of my worries, all of the bad things that happened in the week, all of my stress from work, and just escape into the sky. I am able to remember the beauty that this world holds, and capture the color of the sky between the hours of 6:30 & 7:30 am. :)
As you can see, there is an awkward little boy in a few of my pictures from this morning. That’s because I decided to bring along my little brother. I really think subjecting kids to an unspoken beauty at a younger age, will let them appreciate the natural beauty we take for granted every day. As children, they don’t think to stop and marvel at passing things, and they certainly don’t think to wake up at 6 am to watch the sun rise. Nonetheless, at 6 am I tiptoed into my little brother’s room, gently woke him up and asked if he would like to accompany me to the beach. His first response was expected “No. I’m too tired.” But I kept asking until he half heartedly agreed. He blindly put a pair of jeans and a t-shirt on, and we headed out the door.
The look on his face when he saw the sunrise was priceless. He looked just like me the first time I saw it. He was in awe. And now he is able to respect and love the beauty around him, that would normally go unnoticed.
Today is the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attack on this great country called America! I still remember that day like it was yesterday! I was an excited, wide eyes 10 year old who was thirsty for knowledge. I grasped on to every piece of news I heard that had anything to do with the outside world. On that day, I was “working” in a children’s nursery as a “little helper”. I remember so vividly – all of the mothers (including my own) rushing into the hallway, making a very big commotion. I heard a lot of whispering, gasping, and saw a lot of horrified looks on a lot of scared women’s faces! It didn’t take me long to realize we had a crisis!
As my mother came to get me from the children’s room, I asked her what had happened and her reply was simple, but her face was sad. She said “Airplanes have crashed into the world trade center – it wasn’t an accident.” Being only 10 years old, I know I didn’t comprehend everything; the sadness of the situation, the horror of knowing our country was under attack, and the knowledge of the lives lost. But on our ride home, I didn’t ask questions, I only thought. Thought about what this meant for my family and for this country. My mother had the radio on the whole ride home; I gained even more knowledge once we were home and my mother immediately ran to the TV and flicked to the news. I remember all of the life draining from the room as we watched the footage from the attack. I heard a lot of “Oh my God” statements, and saw a lot of jaws dropped. If I remember correctly, there was a slight glisten in my mom’s eyes – tears. But I think she held them back.
We’ve come a long way since that day, and am even more proud now to say that I am an American. The things we’ve overcome, the sacrifice that came from this tragedy – we have become even more strong. And on this 10th anniversary, I took the morning to reflect on all of the things I was thankful for. I spent it at (what’d ya know) the beach. This morning I saw a new beauty in the sky, and could appreciate it so much more.
Holy cow, it’s been a while! I missed the beach!
I never really feel like I need to write much about my photos, because “a picture speaks a thousand words”, but I would like to say a few things. I have been in a place these past few months where I haven’t been appreciating the natural beauty and wonder around me. I stopped going to the beach in the morning to see the sunrise, I stopped blogging for a while (as you have probably noticed), I stopped going to the theater, hanging out with friends, meditating, jogging, etc. It was almost as if I had lost my lust for life. But here I was, standing on the beach at 7 am this morning, thinking to myself “There’s nothing better than this.” It struck a chord in my heart; I feel more passionate now.
That’s just a little personal background on this morning. Now for the photos; I couldn’t stop shooting the sky, because of the deep contrast. The sun against the blue sky; the clouds, the water. It was perfect.
This past week I went to Bogota, Colombia for 4 days with my family. The last place I visited was Tijuana, Mexico, so I left the states expecting it to be similar. But I was in for yet another culture shock in Bogota.
We were picked up from the airport by some friends and taken to a place to eat with some other friends from the states. We sat at the dinner table while the family of the home brought out plate after plate of delicious food! They refilled our beverages, and offered any and every sweet treat they had. I was so taken aback by they’re sweet hospitality. They were so genuine in their serving, all I could do was smile and feel blessed.
I began to notice all the little things as the days went by. Some of the men would insist on carrying my bag for me, or help me find something I need, help the women in and out of the cars (opening the doors, as well), and offering to pay for things. It was the biggest culture shock I’ve had; even though I have met some men like that in the United States, it’s not common where I’m from. And it wasn’t that the men felt obligated, it was as if they genuinely wanted to help.
For breakfast every morning, with the people we stayed with, we came downstairs to a table set with dishes and a basket of fresh bread in the center of the table. They would have us sit, and bring out several plates of food, always offering seconds or thirds for whoever wanted some. They made cafe` and chocolate every morning, ladling more into our cup every time we reached the bottom.
There was one day that we went out and forgot to make our beds up for the day, and we came back and they were all made up for us. I was shocked, and a little ashamed of my bad habit, but mostly taken aback by their servants hearts’. They wanted our experience of Colombia to be amazing, and they succeeded in their efforts.
I never knew it was possible to feel so at home in a place I had never been. That is hospitality at it’s best. To feel like you belong, like you’re at home with family, in a foreign place with people you met only the day before. After only 4 days, I left the country feeling like I was leaving my heart behind with the people we met and shared our time with.
I’m not an expert on relationships, by any means, and I have yet to understand the complexity that it is. But I know the feeling of bonds being formed, and hearts being opened. I know what true friendship feels like. And I’m taken aback by the fact that some of the relationships built on our trip are stronger than some relationships I have had for years. They are deeper, more intimate, and more meaningful. They don’t discount any relationship I’ve had prior to them, they just take a new place in my heart.
This trip has challenged so many things I thought I knew a week ago. I feel humbled by these friends, but also significant and special. The time I spent pouring into these new relationships made me think; when you meet someone, or go somewhere, and you feel that deep connection instantly, you have to wonder – was I made for this? Was I made specifically for this place, or this person? Like love at first sight; I don’t know if it exists, but maybe it feels something like what I felt this past week. That instant connection, a longing of the heart for that place, for those people.
One thing that surprised me was that the language barrier didn’t keep me from connecting with these people! Even though sometimes we couldn’t have a single conversation without misunderstanding each other, bonds were still being formed. We could sit, making faces with each other, playing a strong version of charades, laughing at each other, but without using a single word we could feel so close to each other.
I’m not saying that every person I met felt like family, but in that week in Bogota I felt deep connections with people, and some were instantaneous. Like we belonged together all this time; like I’ve known them my whole life. Those are connections I have rarely felt. I can only recall a few people throughout my life that I’ve felt that for, and all of them still hold an intimate place in my heart. So what do I call these connections? Family seems like the most appropriate word to describe it. Family. And what a wonderful family they are.
To my Colombian and Peru friends and family: Te quiero; ustedes son un pueblo hermoso, y estoy muy agradecido por que!
I don’t think I’ve ever met a writer who was not opinionated. Maybe they aren’t loud, but they always have something to say. Because that’s our job. As writers, we say a lot. Maybe we don’t always say it out loud, but we definitely say it one way or another. As a writer, if I can’t express myself and my opinions in some way, I feel suffocated (that’s probably why I enjoy blogging so much).
Writers are important, and I’m not just saying that because I am one. I’m saying that because it’s true. Writers have the ability to create. One of my favorite quotes is “Words create worlds.” As a writer, that quote is probably at the heart of why I write. I want to, with my opinions and beliefs, shape things, create things, make things. Without words, we would be nothing. That’s why writers are important. They express the opinions of generations, and create worlds. If a writer were not opinionated, how would he/she write? They couldn’t!
Writers are well-known for being opinionated, sometimes cynical, argumentative, dramatic, imaginative, etc. Often times things that happen to us in real life make it into our writing in some way, whether consciously or subconsciously. And sometimes things that we write make their way into our real lives. That’s when things get really interesting.
If you’ve never heard of the Myers Briggs Personality Assessment, you should check it out. My personality type is closest to an ENFJ (although, I have gotten different results before). My personality has a lot of imagination and opinions. I feel deeply about things, and have a strong value system. I write from that place, and it makes for some good stories. I encourage you, as a writer (or anyone seeking to know more about yourself and career) to take this test. It may open a whole new window into why you write the way you write.
I remember the first time I saw one of those bracelets. I didn’t have a clue it was about Breast Cancer awareness, because the only words that really draw attention are “I <3 boobies”. I thought they were just another way for men to be perverted.
Then as I started seeing more and more of these bracelets, I figured there must be something more to them. I asked a co-worker of mine why he was wearing it, and he chuckled and said “Because I love them,” and winked at me. I later found out that the bracelets were created to raise awareness for breast cancer. But do all of the people wearing them actually care about the cause, or are they simply wearing them because they now have an excuse to say they love boobs?
I love any cause that raises awareness, especially in this generation, for things that would otherwise be overlooked. It’s a good cause, and a good thought. But, in my attempt at not being too controversial here, I will say that it’s a little disgusting to me how some people only wear them for one sole purpose: to showcase their pervertedness.
Of course, you will always have those people wherever you go, who will try to pervert anything and everything. So should the people who really do care about the cause suffer (such as the bracelets being banned from certain schools because it “gives the wrong idea”), just because of those select few (or, select group)? You decide. Yes or no to the bracelets?
My final opinion would be yes. Despite my disgust in the several men who I’ve come across who use the bracelet to get girls numbers (true story, as strange as it sounds), the bracelets support a cause that sometimes doesn’t get enough attention. Do I think the cause could be supported in a different, better way? Yes. But since I’m not taking any physical action in making that possible, I can’t really say anything else.
I haven’t been to the beach to take photo’s in a good long while. This morning felt like an escape. I absolutely loved it! The beach was peaceful, silent, and beautiful. I decided to use both my Canon Rebel XSi and Hipstamatic on my iPhone. Completely different results, but both good in my opinion.
|
