Blogging for a better life

Since the last post, moments of blah have truly set in. The mundane thoughts, the challenges in finding my center. The challenges in the concentration, focus, and blah, blah, blah… still the challenges in finding that right kind of balance from rehab and doing things on my own. But; let’s move beyond the blah, blah, blah, and let’s focus on the momentum of propelling ourselves into a different direction! Sometimes it helps to focus less on the blah, blah, blah, and more on wherever we allow our minds to drift and wander into!

What if we were to take ourselves into a journey back into the earlier days of our lives! What would we find? Would we find a bunch of old tattered up cardboard boxes filled with the wondrous discoveries that had long been forgotten? Or, maybe we’d find ourselves on a drive triggered by painful memories. Would we find ourselves in an old cafe writing love notes to ourselves, or to someone who’s long gone and who at one point in time was forgotten? Would we find ourselves sitting on a stoop with a drink in hand, and just watching the cars as they pass by? Wherever we find ourselves, allows us the opportunity to take our focus off of the blah, blah, blah and pull from our past; (maybe something that we could very well use in the present). Maybe we can find healing in some areas of our lives that had been forgotten; because at the time, we chose to deeply store it away! Whatever the case may be; let’s go back, and let me tell you a story!

There was once a road, that was daily traveled on by bicycle. One direction led 5.4-miles into town, while the other direction led 9.7-miles into a larger town. That particular direction passed an old farmhouse that was discretely tucked away by several trees. It left everyone who passed by wondering about the beauty that lies beyond.

For several years that old farmhouse had been tucked away, and to this day nobody has seen the potential majestic beauty that’s been hidden away. The only thing that can be seen, is an enclosed casing of honey near the side of the road. Hinting to those that pass by, bees flutter beyond those trees that keeps everything nestled away from those that pass.

Continuing the cycle down the dusty and rocky road, and feeling the penetration of the sun and sweat drizzling down one’s back is freedom! Freedom and fear spun together. The freedom of the open air and just cycling until whenever. The fear of dogs popping out every time you pass one of those farmhouses and needing to pedal even faster, as they chase you down that old dusty road! Even amongst the fear, there was still liberation that was looming! Waking up when your body had you springing out of the bed. Figuring out what you wanted to wear for the day; but always ensuring there was a bathing suit on underneath. (A bathing suit was a necessity; as it didn’t matter which direction was traveled, there was always the possibility of taking a dive into the coolness of 12-feet of chlorinated bliss)!

The 9.7-miles of dusty and rocky road led to more than just 12-feet of chlorinated water. It led to diversity. It led to friendships, puppy love, crushes, shopping, movies, step shows, barbecues, parks filled with courtyard basketball and the 12-feet of chlorinated water right beside. It led to cars lined up, parked, and listening to an array of music from Motown to ol’ school music like H-town, DMX, Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, and so many other artists. Even back then; what’s known as food trucks today, was a thing back then. You’d have a trailer parked amongst the lineup of cars, where fresh fried catfish, hot wings, etc… you could get at three in the morning. Amongst the group, there was always someone who knew a house you could drive up to and pick up a fresh plate of burger and fries!

9.7-miles was only a one-way cycle to the border of the city. Can you remember being young, free, and with health in tact! Spending the rest of the day cycling all throughout the city, and still needing to time things just right to make the 9.7-mile cycle back home! The energy of it all, only to get back up the next day and repeat! A minimum of 19-miles cycling a day, in addition to the possibilities of 12-feet of chlorinated bliss! Those are the moments to remember! It’s crazy how long-term and short-term memory works. It’s wonderful what kind of adventures our minds can take us on, if we allow our minds to wander!

(C) 2024 AeKyung Yoo