Recently, I have had some interesting comments said to me. Comments that I don't know how to respond to:
"Jane, it seems like you can't live in a place for a long time."
I am 26 years old. I'm young. I am a traveler. I am an artist. I am proud of my life. I want to continue to paint my life. To make music. To document it. I'm proud of the things I am doing, the places I am going, the people I'm meeting and the experiences I'm having. I recently heard a quote in a movie saying, "How can you expect to simply live an ordinary life?"
How can I simply expect to live an ordinary life? I want to live life consciously. Eyes wide open. As I'm going to be moving to Beijing in just under a week, I think about what sort of experiences I will have there. How my life will change yet again. And I think, how can I not seize a new experience like this? How can I not challenge myself to new heights? Sometimes I do think I'm a little crazy for trying all these new things, but I think its others who make me feel this way. But, the most important voice I have learned to listen to is my own.
In the midst of boxes, last minute details, waiting for my new visa and passport, spending time with friends in Guangzhou, working the last 2 days at my school, and eventually getting on yet another plane ride, everything begins to come into perspective.
I'm so excited to move to Beijing. The city I fell in love with in just the 5 days I visited there. I knew that part of my experience in China is to LOVE where I am living. And while I love my friends in Guangzhou so much, and my work, but not alot about the city has grabbed me to want to stay here. I've learned that living abroad is not about settling, its about seeking. Seeking some new insight. Learning new things and listening to what my experiences tell me.
So, my responses to those 2 comments,
"When the right person finds me."
"Yes, the travel bug has bit me. And, I love that."
1 comment:
Jane, i am so proud of you. I feel such a connection with you in our adventurous spirits. Its like we share a part of our hearts. Im not a good writer, so when i hear your words i tend to take them as my own. So often you write exactly how i feel.
I encourage you to NEVER settle. Dosen't the sound of that just irritate you? Settle. To me it implies letting go of dreams to accept something else, something normal. I think "settling" has nothing to do with your job or martial status or whether you have kids. To me it just seems like its a compromise of life. "Ok, its hard to follow dreams, i'll just do this cause its ok"
No! Life isn't easy but its beautiful, and you are living a beautiful life! Never give up on your dreams or passions despite the risks and hard times they bring. The rewards far outweight the loss.
So no matter where you are or what you are doing, never settle. Always seek after your dreams, passions, your love for life and your love for the Giver of life. everything else will follow after that, including that right person ;)
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