I just like this.

My mother reminded me of this piece not all too long ago. There are many things in it that I like to think on, and many things I agree with. Thought I'd give you a break from my own writing, and offer you someone else's.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be and whatever your labours and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

(Max Ehrmannin)

I fell in love, with the world in you.

Each day I've been hearing a much quicker tick and tock of the clock in the back of my mind. I can hardly believe I've been living in this place for nearly a year, nor do I accept how fast my departure is approaching. Alas, my mind has wandered into great clouds of nostalgia. Come with me to visit a few of my memories, will you?

I can recall how unsure I was walking upon the uneven streets of Surat Thani for the first time. I couldn't order my lunch, nor could I tell you anything of the people I was working with, less their physical appearance. What have I done? I remember thinking as I lay to sleep one night. My days were void of anything familiar and anything 'normal'. Today I sit thinking, Oh my, what a wonderful thing I have done! I've let Thailand become a friend. It's been the kind of friend that tells you like it is, how the world works, and begs the right kind of questions. It's also been trustworthy and loyal. And it's introduced me to some pretty terrific people, both little and big.

The big ones have been sources of advice, comfort, and comradery. One of my greatest memories is of talking of justice and life over red wine in Cambodia. What beauty there is in being brought to a helpless place, but having the strength to talk about it with friends. I am grateful for my companions here who allow themselves to think on the tough things in life, and process them with me.

And the little ones. Oh, the little ones! I love to think on my interactions with them. This past week I spent a few minutes with my student Smart who wanted nothing but to pull out his front tooth by the end of class. I said, "Smart, it's not going to come out today buddy. No matter how hard you try." He understood me, all the while his vocabulary being limited to shapes and colors. Animals too, on a good day. The little ones have taught me about communication without words, and on the importance of a deep, and easy laugh. I love them for taking on their own little worlds, allowing me to take on mine, too.

I sit here, remembering moments of deep sorrow for 'home', joyful reunions, frustrating misunderstandings, heavy laughter, unwanted goodbyes, and the gentleness of holding the hand of a child. Yes, Thailand has become one of my dearest friends, and may prove to be the most difficult goodbye of all.

Look back on it wistfully.

When you plunge into the deep blue, your eyes open a bit wider, your ears know nothing familiar, and your mind moves in a new way- with the currents, if you allow it.

I jumped in last week, a few pounds secured around my waist, a rather weighty tank upon my back, an unnatural mask grasping my face, and fins drowning the little feet I inherited from my mother. With a quick nudge from our captain’s aid, I made a grand, and equally awkward entrance into the world beneath me.

The thoughts that occupied my first hour were simply, breathe in, breathe out. The truth is, all I could hear were my breaths. I couldn’t separate myself from them, nor would I have wanted to. I thought to myself, surely this is life in its simplest form- breathe in, breathe out. We fill ourselves with what we need, then release that which we don’t. In a life where I so often weigh what’s good for me, what’s not, where I should go, what I should do, what I should keep, what I should release, how grateful I am that I don’t know the burden of thinking on each breath. A part of me that’s hidden, it works- breathe in, breathe out.

Like most new places, I adapted in time, and I quickly found a calmness that allowed me to look a bit deeper, to think clearer on this new landscape. I climbed mountains of coral, aged and weathered, new and vibrant. The Christmas Tree Worm became my favorite playmate. And the communities of animals reminded me of communities I hold dear. Even the fish, they need each other. All the while one idea drifted to the forefront of my mind again and again- the artist that sculpted this very different, oh so lovely world beneath me, formed me as well. It’s no wonder there’s great harmony in being in it.

The absence of traffic jams, of spoken words, of feet on pavement, of man-made distraction, created an environment the closest to natural that I’ve ever been. And just as the tide comes in for me, I’ll be running to greet it.