June 12th, 2023
A big part of my life is traveling, and this past month of May, I went from the southernmost point to the highest point of the eastern United States. Along the way, I stopped at places I had not been before. Being a wanderer is an essential part of my spiritual life; it allows me to be present in the world, connect with nature, and be one with the higher powers. In the Havamal, the words of Odin, one of the stanzas is, "He is truly wise who's traveled far and knows the ways of the world.." with each trip, this stanza remains true. It does not matter where you are in the world. If you take a moment to observe your surroundings, there is always something to learn about yourself, the world, or any aspect of your life. That is what happened to me on this journey.
I have been fortunate enough to spend time in the Florida Keys since I was born, and, each time I visit it is usually with a different group of people. The Keys was one of the spots I visited during my time in the sunshine state. One day, I found myself staring at the coastline, thinking of every choice I'd made that led me to this point. I realized that people, moments, and things will easily come into our lives but will also leave in a way that might hurt; though we have the memories to reminisce on, at the end of the day, life goes on. This is the part of life that nobody warns you about; we grow old, and with that comes a vicissitudes of emotions. It is ironic how Ed Sheeran releases a new song the same week, and one of the lines is," Is this the ending of our youth when the pain starts taking over?". He has a point, we as young people are not aware of how hard life can get, and we have to, more times than not, learn how hard this life can be through pain, whether it is mental, physical, or even spiritual pain. But we have to remember that pain is only temporary until it becomes numb, and though it can be tough to see, there is a valuable lesson to be gained from it.
For Memorial Day weekend, while remembering the fallen, I was fortunate to meet up with some lifelong friends in Asheville. This was a weekend that I will cherish for as long as I live. From walking the city streets to playing a chess match in the bar while people were amazed that I was using my foot to move the pieces and driving to and from Mount Mitchell on an almost empty tank of gas. That weekend proved to me that the people in your life are in it for a reason: to show that friendships can be lifelong, to compose new relationships, or when to let go of one.
As I have stated before, the road is excellent at teaching lessons, and that is why I travel; I learn so much from each trip. However, two lessons keep occurring. First, no matter how much pain is in our lives, it will get easier to live with it because, sadly, we become numb to it. The second lesson is that if you stand by your own trial and not by what others say, the right folk and kin will show up in your life.
Remember, no matter how hard life gets, keep driving forward; we will find our destinations one day soon; until then, enjoy the ride.
Peyton
