In the last few weeks I've been on a sort of mental sabbatical from the arduous demands of my life. I allowed myself to get lost in a series of reflections and musings as I comprehensively studied the lives of others. Though I was physically present here in the moment, I was mentally and emotionally worlds away as I immersed myself in others' way of thinking, acting, and relating. It was nice to somehow be a part of their life's picture even if from afar, and interestingly, when the time came to return to my own place in this world I was a colorful mix of melancholy and peace. I was saddened by the goodbye to another time and place, but relieved to be back to what I know, even if what I know is almost nothing at all. In a way I felt that the perspective I had gained in recent days somehow prepared me for what waits ahead, though I don't yet know what that is. One thing, however, is pristinely clear - this life is meant to be lived, not feared.
