[o, praise him.]
I wish I spent more time out in the woods. This weekend I went on a short hike in a properly wooded, secluded area and I did many things that I have not done for quite some time. It made me miss days where my friends and I would go romping back through the woods for no other purpose than to take some route we had not explored before, and attempt to leap over some bend in the creek that was too far for us to jump across, and so forth.
I even mildly injured my ankle in said romp. I used to do that all the time. It made me feel adventurous and slightly wild once again- perhaps reckless is the adjective I'm really search for. And I make no attempts to deny that parts of me want to feel a little reckless and unpredictable. That element of pure chance and split-second opportunity.
Yesterday at work I spent all day unpacking a shipment and folding and preparing the clothes to go out to displays. It was a somewhat tedious process, but not unpleasant. It was actually a little interesting, what with opening up boxes that haven't seen light since they were sealed in Sri Lanka and India and Cambodia. It made me wonder, as I sorted, who the last person was to handle this shirt. What was his or her life like, where did they live, did they have enough to eat tonight.
It made me want to travel. And to be able to say to them, "Hey, got the package. You did a good job. Thanks."
For a very brief moment, I felt a sense of connection in the bigger picture. That we are not so far separated from our neighbors. That we nearly contact them, daily. And I felt a pull to be there, with them. To be their neighbor and help them as I could, and talk to them and be in fellowship. To see their children grow.
It's so much bigger than me and you.
This morning I made waffles, and my little sister Julia helped me. Yesterday morning, before I left for work, I taught my little brother Elijah how to make paper airplanes.
Today, I'm going to tackle the project of putting insulation on the house again. I'm actually looking forward to it. I'll be digging around the foundation of the house, and that's already reminding me of when I was kid.
I'm not sure what you can get from this, other than that it's not about you. It's about what you do with you.
That's what I think, at least.
In conclusion, Radiohead is growing on me. Their acoustic stuff that I'm hearing, at least.
Your humble servant,
-Ethan
Comments (12)
Its funny taht you mention the woods thing because i just got back from riding my horse in the woods and i felt like an indian cause i didnt put a saddle on him and i felt like i was i dont know hunting or somehting
it felt really cool
And thanks i like my picture too:]
and i hope your ankel gets better, at least you werent immobile
Cause when i cant do anyhting i go nuts.
good luck putting the instalation up and make sure you wear gloves:]
your sister in Christ
Erica
I was never good at making paper airplanes when I was younger.
I'm also one of those people that has trouble seeing the big picture. I don't think I've ever really gotten it before. But I'm sure that will be fixed at some point.
i dearly like that song. i heard it on the wonderful pandora awhile ago i believe on my dashboard station. i forgot i liked acoustic radiohead.
joshua has been currently obsessed with making paper airplanes. they're everywhere. he was impressed i knew how to make them.
and the first paragraph made me miss my woods.
I have a pen-pal in Sri-Lanka.
I might as well write a journal entry for the amount of comment I could leave here. But it's agreement, so that's good.
Math awaits me.
Hope your ankle gets better, Ethan.
I remember those good old days. Trompin round the woods without a cause. I got real sick that one time because it was so cold. Remeber that? I still remember it as a good time though.
i liked reading this...
and i definitely hope that school will be better as a result of this major change.
i still have no idea what to do with my life, but these next two semesters SHOULD be more bearable since i'm not studying to be something i don't want to be. that seems to make sense.
:)
awesome blog!! I think we all want to get back to the reckless ways of our childhood to some degree. reckless=carefree, and what's better than carefree?? I also know what it's like to want to know whats going on in other countrys, to get back to simpler ways. Travel, and have fun!!
Ethan,
Hi! This is Mrs.Gilmore...you are an awesome writer...keep it up!
Blessings
I love Radioheads The Bends album.
Goooood stuff.
arts and sciences is playing a show on friday.
we will be hanging out, definitely after the show, maybe before as well.