Esteban

If I had to identify the biggest change in myself in my past ten years in the Washington, D.C. area, it has been learning about and becoming completely comfortable with myself. The most notable result of this is that I feel comfortable speaking with just about anyone. Combine this result with a naturally out-going personality and I was bound to meet make casual friendships with many of the people in the path of my daily routine. That is how I came to meet Esteban.

About a year ago, I started riding the 3T bus from my house to the West Falls Church Metro Station. On many mornings, I would be waiting at the same bus-stop as a middle-aged gentleman with a dark complexion, wearing his green Giant-Supermarket uniform shirt. At some point, I overheard him speaking Spanish and eventually I imposed my unrefined Spanish skills on him to start a conversation. He was immediately friendly and kind, although still somewhat soft-spoken. We talked about his job at the supermarket and his family in Mexico. I told him about my school program and my job and a little about my family and my boyfriend, George. That is how I got to know Esteban.

Over the past few weeks, as my move to Hawaii gets closer, I have had to start the difficult process of saying my goodbyes. The goodbyes to my friends, both my close friends and more casual friends, I had anticipated. I am still working through the separation anxiety and I'm sure I will continue to feel the heartache over it when I arrive in Hawaii. The goodbyes I had not prepared for, however, were the ones like the one I had yesterday with Esteban.

I haven't take the bus since I moved closer to the Metro Station in April, but I still see Esteban all the time. I run into him nearly every time I go to the grocery store and I see him several times a week on my short walk to the metro station. Yesterday, we ran into each other and realized after our short conversation that we weren't going to see each other again. We might not ever see each other again. While I'm not headed out of D.C. for another couple weeks, Esteban is leaving D.C. for a month-long vacation to visit his family in Mexico. We talked a few moments about our respective upcoming travels: his to Mexico and mine to Hawaii. Of course there was the silent realization that our occasional encounters may never happen again. As we concluded our conversation, we exchanged the greeting "Peace." Receiving that greeting from my unlikely acquaintance actually gave me a bit of needed peace. And I truly hope Esteban will have the same for himself and his family.

Simplify.

In preparation for my move to Hawaii, I have been paring down everything I own. I have already sold a number of large items, I have a dozen or so boxes filled with items to be sold at a yard sale, and I've put a ton of other things I own in storage. My room looks really funny and it first it felt wierd, but now I am starting to like it. I think I'll like it even better when the yard sale boxes are gone. I definitely had accumulated more stuff than any human being needs. Moreover, I'd accumulated more stuff than I really even wanted.

I was walking though Tyson's Corner Mall on Friday on the way to meet some friends for dinner. All the stores filled with things to buy - things that persuade us we might look better or prettier, things that will make our lives easier or more comfortable or more efficient. As it has been a while since I've been in a mall and I've been going through this paring-down, at first I felt disgusted by all the stuff everywhere and all the people buying everything, walking with two and three large shopping bags of new clothes, gadgets, housewares, etc. Then some adorable dress caught my eye. My mind rapidly changed gears and I wanted the dress. Somehow, just by looking at all the things in the windows, I became caught up in the shopping world and the promise of these tangible, material goods. Quickly, though, I remembered how good it has felt to pare down my belongings and how I want to keep it that way and most importantly, how I don't really need anything new at all.

There are so many wonderful things in life that don't come with a pricetag at all: the love of friends and family, music and harmony, sunsets, a walk in the woods, jumping into the ocean or a lake, fresh snowfall, and all the gifts of nature.

'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down
where we ought to be,
and when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained
to bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed,
to turn, turn, will be our delight
till by turning, turning we come round right.

-Eighteenth Century Shaker Song

Don't Worry, Be Happy.

That really should be my motto. Permanently.

I had a decent-sized wrench tossed into my Hawaii plans this week, but it is certainly not an undefeatable wrench. I can still go through with my adventure as planned, albeit with some minor and temporary adjustments. Nonetheless, I have been incredibly stressed over it. The bottom line is - I need to CHILL! Things will work themselves out. I have two choices: I can either spend my time fretting the unknown details of my upcoming move, or I can relish my final days here in Washington and daydream about the wonderful parts of the adventure I have coming. The beaches, the sunset, the new culture and people, the new job, being with my sweetheart in paradise, visits old from friends, birthdays on the beach, fresh pineapple, open-toed shoes, sunshine, windows, rainbows, learning to surf, learning to hula, and learning a new way of thinking that DOES NOT resemble the high pace of my life here in Washington.

And Steve Winwood with this closing thought that I will try to keep in my head as I go to sleep:

And I'll drink and dance with one hand free
Let the world back into me
And oh I'll be a sight to see
Back in the high life again

Shelly & Andrew's Wedding

I didn't have a ton of photos from Shelly & Andrew's wedding as I was running around quite a bit myself that day, but I do have a few. Check them out here. It really was a very special celebration and I'm honored to have been chosen to stand in Shelly's bridal party. The planning and preparation of the bachelorette weekend and bridal shower as well as the events themselves brought close friends even closer together.
For a lovely slideshow of the event, see Lawrence and Pam's photos on their business website.