The skies were dark with rain clouds today, making it feel like
6 p.m. when it was only 3. My day had been chaotic when a vibrant spirit walked
into the lobby of my newest place of work. This greying woman had wet droplets
on her jacket from the rain and the smell of blooming lilacs wafted in behind
her as she approached me at the front desk. Many of you probably don’t know,
but I am back in Michigan for the summer working at the American Youth
Foundation Miniwanca, a camp on the shore of Lake Michigan. My primary duty at
the camp is to help run seasonal staffing and this woman had come to sign in as
a part of the medical team.
After gathering a stack of paperwork for her to fill out, we
moved to comfy leather chairs, and as she began to write, I started to make
small talk. She told me she loved the rain and could easily live in Seattle. I
told her I had just gotten back from Seattle and that I also loved the rain.
She told me about the last few years she worked on the medical team at Camp
Miniwanca, talking about how excited she was to again be part of a dynamic duo
in East Camp.
Wrinkles grew deep as she smiled telling me stories from her
time in Hawaii – her home for over a decade. She moved back to Michigan just
two years ago with no car or apartment, just stayed at her sister’s house for a
few days before voyaging over to Miniwanca for the summer with no previous work
in camps and not knowing what to expect.
With each new detail from her life, I was more amazed by
this woman in front of me. Before knowing anything about her life, I had
stereotyped her. This 70-something year-old woman expanded and inspired me, but
it was one simple phrase that resonated with me – “I like change. I enjoy being
adventurous.” It was more than just the phrase though, it was a combination of
how her voice lowered, her eyes lit up, how her age had not dampened her energy
and spirit for doing what excited her. And also that she seemed to be voyaging
on this journey of life solo. She was a strong woman that talked with vigor and
life and in that moment, I was jealous of her vivacity.
I’ve been making changes to my life and thinking a lot about
what I want my future to be. I have to admit, it can change depending on what I’m
reading, hearing and learning. But when it comes down to it, there are a few
things that I feel are building blocks to my happiness: travel, poetry, art,
writing, and adventure. I have goals to see new parts of the world, experience
new cultures, and read as much poetry as I can. If I had it my way, I’d travel
around the world, reading local poets’ work, interviewing them and finding out
what makes them write such beautiful lines. Is this what my future holds? I don’t
know, but it’s fun to think about.
We’ll see where my passions take me, but it is nice to be
reminded that life isn’t about doing the 9-5 grind, but creating a life that
sustains that passionate, happy, vibrant feeling throughout the entirety of
your life.
"And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's inmost secret." -Kahlil Gibran
