A phonebooth in the middle of the NC woodsI live a fairly simple life right now. All i have to do when I wake up in the morning is decide on where I want to bike, where I want to eat and then get on the bike and ride for how ever many miles then do it over again. I have places where I want to go, I find places along the way and then people and places seem to make them selves known at the perfect time when I most need it.
Every single day of this trip something that many people consider destine, happens.
Example:
I was staying at a campground on Jordan Lake in Central North Carolina and I was trying to decide whether I should head towards Raleigh the next day because I had 4 days till I was supposed to meet my friend Sean and the Band he is with (Lotus) for one of their concerts. I wake up and pack my bags on my bike and this red car comes to my campsite. This man and woman stick their head out and ask me if I'm leaving. I tell them yes and they start unpacking their camping gear in the campsite next to me. We start talking, I tell them about my trip and how I am trying to figure out where I am going to stay for the next couple of days. Well After helping them set up their tent and unload some other things from their car, they invite me to stay an extra day or two at their campsite. For a split second my mind goes no I was planing on going into town, my bikes all packed, but then I realized that this was exactly what I was looking for.
After Staying with this couple and their kids for the couple of days I became friends with them and now I am even playing a word game with Brian on my I-phone.
Life seems to provide if I keep my mind open.
Many of these types of stories have happened to me all through out this last month and in North Carolina they seem to just keep happening. This makes me think about a topic that I have been thinking about since High school (probably earlier). whether or not our lives are guided by Fate or freewill. IS everything already planed out for us? Am I writing this blog because I was destine to think these thoughts and do these actions? Or am I souly the one that is creating these instances?
I like to think that I have the control over my choices. That the actions I take are my own. I guess that is a common thought. I feel more in control of my life thinking that way even when I choose to not control my life and let life happen, that is my choice.
Fate is a very interesting idea though. It seems to make moments and meetings easier to explain. When I meet someone and I feel right talking to them, to think that is was completely random takes away the romanticism. But if I was fated to meet this person then the stars have aligned and I have followed the path that was meant to be. My meeting and interaction brings me to another checkpoint in my life. I feel as though this is a safe way to explain things that I don't understand.
With freewill I feel as though I can trace back my steps and choices and go "Of Course I like hanging out with you" we both went to the same type of school and we both traveled and we both chose to be actors or what ever the choices where that I made in my life and you made in yours. I don't want to think that I am who I am because it was mapped out for me, I want it to be my choices and my trials and tribulations that created who I am and why people feel the way about me that they do.
So every time that something like the Jordan Lake camping example happens I question myself on whether this was a complete and utter coincidence or was I fated to become apart of these peoples lives. Either way I am happy that all these things are happening.
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Please keep commenting on facebook, twitter and Bikeagainstthewind.com. I am still looking for more people to videotape themselves talking about why they live where they live and what are the roots that hold you there if there are any. Please film yourself talking and post it on youtube then submit it through the SUBMISSIONS page of Bikeagainstthewind.com.
Thank you.
BIKE TRACKS: Lord Finesse
TODAY'S MILES: haven't left for today
TODAY'S TIME: 0
TOTAL TRIP MILES: 1376.5 miles
TOTAL TRIP: 32 of 90 Days
TOTAL TRIP MILES: 1376.5 miles
TOTAL TRIP: 32 of 90 Days
Mark, around here in Hawaii Pele and her energy help the universe manifest more quickly than I have ever experienced anywhere. I am not sure I call it "fate" but do believe that I need to keep myself "open" to whatever the universe has in store for me. The universe will provide and is always working to fulfill your "intentions". So make sure you have clear intentions and remain open, then life unfolds in the most wounderious ways... ok sounds weird but my "mantra" when I left work in 2005 was "to remain open to what life has to offer and hope that I am in a place to recognize it" - my only update to that mantra is to work to be present and be clear in my intentions.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the idea is that every single person we meet has the potential to be our friend no matter who they are, not that some were meant to be and others weren't, and you're just taking the time right now to meet some of them. All we really pick is the timing -- it's going to happen anyway. My cosmic concept is that we'll eventually be friends with everyone, everywhere, when eternity takes over.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing an amazing thing right now, taking that time and using it to think and explore. I'll bet when you're done with the trip you'll continue to be someone who's totally open to connecting no matter when/how it is. And we all could be that way. We just have to learn to take the time.