Life's Lessons:learned the bemusing way: Hindsight is 20/20

It was nearing high noon and my undivided attention was captivated inside a book. Simply saturated in content, the literature spoke to me, sociological workings of the human mind has always been an intrigue of mine. After a few chapters, my attention span slowly started to wander. Closing my eyes, resting from the monotonous black newsprint that now blurred together, I basked in the calming ambiance. Accompanying me was an empty bottle of red from the night previous, I sipped the last of the remains and soaked in sun-kissed rays as slight guilt enters. I justified my impulsive lush behavior by convincing myself that it was drinking hours someplace in the world. Not that the fact would hold any significance regardless. I was on a road trip away from the restricting confines of a mundane existance.

I began recording every dominating thought parading through my head at that very moment, venting out all frustrations. Incomplete sentences soon compiled on a paper napkin. I stared at the words, connected to emotions, that gnawed at me. It is time to move on. For years, I lived within a routine I thought made me happy. Then waking up one morning, a realization of the thread that had connected all ties no longer existed. It is apparent how lost I had been as the actuality of compromises made to adapt into this lifestyle unveiled itself. I was removed acknowledging this person that I am was not who I aspired to be.

Given a day's notice to keep my aunt company on her travels, I packed my bags the morning of and by nightfall was essentially miles away from crossing into another state. It was a brief escape lasting only three days, but I acquired an infinite source of inspiration within that time.

I learned:

Sakura Sushi has the best happy hour.
Politeness and a sweet smile gets you a free bottle of sake.
Make connections with people all over the map, it's insurance for spur of the moment trips.
Powell's Book Store is my Disneyland.
Food, food, and more food. Pearl district. I like steak tartare.
"Damas" does, in fact, translate to "ladies". I am relieved to know I used the correct washroom.
Portland Streetcar. Hi. Hello. Genius.

I am astonished with all the various lifestyles I was able to witness. I listened in on a conversation between our local guides. They conversed about jet-setting half-way around the world, on a whim, to just to celebrate a birthday for a weekend. No big deal. The next week, a new destination. The context was surreal. Who does that sort of thing? They do. And I am determined that, one day, I will too.

I slept a blasphemous amount of hours to re-cooperate from the trip. Two days later, I grabbed my passport and headed for a ferry that would take me to Canada. It would be here, between having tea at Murchies and over-indulging in sukiyaki at Posh, that clarity would emerge. Time out. A change in perspective and everything will fall into place again.

Remnants of wine lingered on the glass. Concentrating on one drop left behind, swirling it around as thoughts did the same in my head. My spirit has been reset along with a list of priorities. Angst had suddenly lifted, I am freed, knowing what I know now. Though my current condition is empty, there is plenty of time to re-build myself and not let any factor contribute to inhibit, conquer, or defeat me.