Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Episode 15: Just Do It

Sorry Nike, I'm stealing this for the day. People say things they want to do. Less people act upon what they say. What started out as a dream is about to become reality. I'm leaving to go on a journey, physical, spiritual and everything in between. So I'm acting upon what I said months ago. To get up and decide to do it was the easy part. To pray and discern if God wants me to is less easy. To actually walk out the front door with my life on a bike is the hard part.

My buddy Kyle and I are biking across the Northern Tier of United States of America, the place I've called home for most of my life. From Ellensburg, Washington to Bar Harbor, Maine. 11 states, 2 territories, 4,200 miles, 6,000 calories a day. Glacier National Park, The Great Lakes, Niagara Falls, the Appalachian Hills. And why you might ask? For the adventure of course, not for the attention. Not for a charity or for academic research; for a change of scenery, meeting new locals everyday, and eating food of the area. 

I have noticed that the people who inspire me, the ones I've met and read (and able to learn from) function on a higher sphere than most. They go out and... Just do it. They seemingly contribute to society effortlessly. They listen. They teach. They write poetry and compose music. They eat, pray, and love. So I go searching out there in the world and inside myself, and in people for something intangible, something more than money can buy. Maybe we'll find a paradise no one else has found.

This summer I have sold, auctioned, and given away all my possessions, besides my books and tools of trade. Since I've gotten back from Macau, I've earned my bachelor's degree, my wage as a musician, a bike mechanic, and librarian. I'm able to pay the bills, play music, ride the bike, float the river, throw dinner parties, go to dance parties. I've made new friends and gotten closer to old ones. And farther from some. If I were to impart any wisdom it'd be: if one walks the humble, respectful, just, and rightful path of life, everything works out in the end. People have good hearts and it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that. By the way, if you'd like to contribute, I'd give you my utter thanks and blessings. I don't think it's tax-deductible but you'd have a special place in my heart.

I write all this envisioning epic Wagner or ethereal Mahler in the background and guffaw at the idea: if a simple person like me would ever receive a drop their genius I'd be thankful. And their blessings for the trip. Thanks music gods. What I'd do to sit down for coffee with Rachmaninov. Or Beethoven. Or Bach. You probably won't hear from me as regularly because I'll be doing my soul-searching. Not google searching. If I have something profound or funny to say I'll tweet something somewhere (@across2worlds), or post some pictures that inspire. Maybe someday I'll write a book about it but as of late, I have nothing to say. 

Godspeed gentlemen. And gentlewomen.

Until next time.
劉暢