"You can't call it an adventure unless it's tinged with danger. The greatest danger in life, though, is not taking the adventure at all. To have the objective of a life of ease is death. I think we've all got to go after our own Everest."

Put us back together

You said, it's forever

But I know you're pretending

I don't care, I'd let you take it

All again

And I just wanna love you

Don't wanna lose me

Don't wanna lose you

C. Perri

NYC

I reach for you

But you were gone

I knew I had to go back home

You searched the world for something else

To make you feel like what we had

And in the end in wonderland we both went mad

Oh, we found wonderland

You and I got lost in it

And we pretended it could last forever

T. Swift

BOSTON

“There are stars in the night sky that look brighter than the others, and when you look at them through a telescope you realize you are looking at twins. The two stars rotate around each other, sometimes taking nearly a hundred years to do it. They create so much gravitational pull there's no room around for anything else. You might see a blue star, for example, and realize only later that it has a white dwarf as a companion - that first one shines so bright, by the time you notice the second one, it's too late.” 
― Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper

CHICAGO

Hands, put your empty hands in mine
And scars, show me all the scars you hide
And hey, if your wings are broken
Please take mine so yours can open too
'Cause I'm gonna stand by you
Oh, tears make kaleidoscopes in your eyes
And hurt, I know you're hurting, but so am I
And love, if your wings are broken
Borrow mine so yours can open too
'Cause I'm gonna stand by you

R. Platten

SAN FRANCISCO

"Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you
Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you."

It's funny how life shifts around sometimes,'

doesn't it always feel like we are on a tilted scale.

Just as one thing is lost and the scale begins to tip,

another something comes along to even it all out,

and in a way you're right back where you started.

Balanced.

But nothing is the same as before.

I've been thinking about a lot lately.

And what it all means,

per my usual.

Feeling such an ease about the upcoming transition.

Discovering messages from my past self,

encouraging me to chase dreams and head West.

The biggest check mark on the list so far,

and so meaningful.

Literally it's a dream come true,

and I cannot wait until life is filled with landscapes of ocean sunsets.

All of it feels more like a new beginning then a transition.

Always and forever blessed by the footprints in my wake.

The strongest of bonds created in unexpected time.

The appreciation for people and moments,

even until the very end.

Things will shift and slide around,

my scale will waiver,

but in the end it will all be balanced out exactly as it should be.

Grateful for new inspiration that has come along.

Been clinging helplessly to old inspiration,

and it was damaging in a way,

but hard to let it all fall away as it should.

Maybe it will come back around again.

Like I've said before,

those in your past that are meant to stay in your life,

will reappear in your future.

I will show respect for the light that guided me along,

but celebrate the new opportunity to build inspiration,

endlessly grateful.

You came along at exactly the right time.

But isn't that the way it's been for a while now.

Remaining open and honest,

living hard and living for the present,

even when each day changes like the weather,

stormy sometimes,

clear and bright at other times.

I've found more and more pieces are being added,

and the bigger picture,

for now,

is finally coherent and apparent.

Everyone is hitting milestones.

Celebrations of love and life have scattered my past years,

and I wouldn't have wanted to miss any of it.

But my path goes a different way,

and now I celebrate my milestone,

of wandering and adventure.

The things I've always dreamed about since I was little.

Forcing the normal life goals into the backseat,

remaining focused on the open road.

I hope most that this adventure yields clarity and understanding.

I hope that I can remain as hopeful and brave as i forage through new territories.

I hope that I can continue to appreciate others,

and build new relationships

and build new consistencies.

Life is the greatest adventure,

and its meant to be lived fearlessly, honestly, and entirely.

Never forget that we are meant to be here,

and fight to leave the legacy behind.

I can't help but to know that sometime great lies just head,

and I will push onward,

appreciating every beautiful moment that brings me toward it,

whether big or small.

I will speak up and say the things I need to say,

and I will grow in my understanding and tolerance of others.

Because people are a beautiful blessing,

even when it seems bleak,

human connected-ness is the underlying force.

I never thought i'd know so many different people,

and each one leaving something for me to ponder.

Absorbing other ways of living,

growing through other ways of thinking.

I'm thankful for everyone that has contributed to the transformation.

I know that however things all fall into place,

whether predictable or surprising,

I'm at peace with the process.

Things that seem easy now,

will unravel quickly and morph into the unexpected,

but I can weather the storm.

What I've come out of has only taught me to persevere,

to never say never,

to never say always,

to give second chances,

to explore outside my comfort zone,

and to turn every regret into a teachable moment.

I'm indebted to the EAST,

I'm grateful for the MIDDLE,

and I'm passionate about the WEST.

It's a beautiful thing to live this way,

and even with the sadness of all the leaving,

there's a comfort in all the new beginnings.

Don't feel like you are lost to me,

but rather know that now it must be the way it is,

and I have to continue to transform into a better version of self,

and that part of a new beginning is wiping the slate clean.

The easy way is not always the right way,

and sometimes out of the greatest struggles

emerges a great character development opportunity.

So I will strive to seek the beauty in the moment,

continue to live with a passion for adventure,

always take the opportunities presented too me,

maintain important relationships,

and hope we will meet again the future.

Because we might only get one shot at this life,

and I don't want to waste a minute.

Good-byes and hellos will be spoken,

and it's all clear with time and perspective.

So always remember the importance of dream chasing,

even when it seems impossibly grand,

it's possible,

and worth the chance, because you just never know.

But be ready always to shift direction,

and remain an observer of the bigger picture,

and live with integrity.

Welcome change, but navigate wisely.

Don't ever give up because it's too hard.

Love hard,

transform constantly,

never settle.

Show respect for the process,

move forward bravely.

Struggle through the complicated parts,

because you know...

a beautiful strength is found in simply surviving the trials of life.