We cashed in on the weather and it ended up being a cool and absolutely beautiful day to be outside! I elected to be a part of the biking group. This allowed us to travel to spots a little further out of the way and cover a little more ground. The rides between each stop were energizing. Getting some blood flowing and feeling some wind in your face on a bright sunny day tends to have that effect...
1st Stop, Cafe Paradiso
Our first stop was at Cafe Paradiso, a local coffeehouse institution that I have never actually been inside. It was a typical coffeehouse vibe, which is subtly loud, but the sounds often become ambient the longer you stay there, especially if you are focused in working on something by yourself. I don't really often notice how loud coffeeshops really are until you try to have a conversation with someone sitting directly across from you.Continuing from a conversation I had at home the night before, I started writing in a stream-of-conscious format and ended up writing about things that make me happy. One of the things that came out of the process for me was surfing. I haven't been able to step in an ocean, let alone attempt to catch a wave, in nearly a decade. It has taken a lot out of me since surfing was such a large part of my life for a period of time. As I reflected on this more, I determined I was not only missing the physical act of surfing, but I was also longing for a close-knit sense of bonding with friends that happens when you travel around and share an intimate experience together like surfing.
To continue reflecting on this more now, I can even recall and list the specific phases of a solid surf safari. Riding in the car together, drinking coffee, hunting for the "right spot" on the "right day," making a collective decision on where to park and unload the boards, paddling out, reading the waves, (hopefully) catching a few, and then paddling in to return to civilization. The obligatory food and or drinks afterward always seems to emanate from a place of serenity. It often seems as if any problems you might have had before you let rinse off you in the water (at least for a little while)...
2nd Stop, Japan House and Gardens
Our second stop was the Japan House and Gardens. Again, this was a beautiful place I had been walking and driving by for years, but had never taken the time to stop and explore. The complex was visually amazing, but I was more absorbed by the calming and peaceful energy I felt. I took this feeling of energy and translated it into my writing for this period and reflected about energy, especially how energy can flow and transfer not only between people but also between people and places. I plan to return to the Japan House soon. Next time, I will bring my camera...
3rd Stop, Mt. Hope Cemetery
Our last stop was the campus cemetery, another place I have passed many times by have never entered. The energy there was obviously quite different from our previous two stops, but it was still inspiring for thought and writing nonetheless. I have always felt cemeteries were serene and have enjoyed walking through them wherever I have lived. This stop presented the briefest time to write and share, so I chose to reflect upon a specific set of gravestones I sat beside when I wrote. They were from a husband and wife. The husband had passed away long before the wife. The wife appeared to have remarried as she had a third name on her stone, and it appeared as though her second husband's stone was next to her (albeit slightly further away than her first husband). Also, I gleaned from the dates of the second husband that he too passed before the wife, leaving her to live her last 30 years without a husband. Thinking about this specific scenario also reminded me of the resonating lyrics of the song "Gravedigger" by Dave Matthews:Gravedigger
When you dig my grave
Could you make it shallow
So that I can feel the rain
Gravedigger
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing marathon and would love to attempt something like this again.
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