There’s a beer to my right, a victory cigar to my left, and, my bare feet rest ontop of the railing over looking the pacific. Mumford and Sons is interrupted every once in a while by the crashing waves of the pacific ocean. My computer is charged, my Visa is valid, my flight is good, and my apartment in Austin / Brisbane are paid for.
Life is good.
Work is good.
I’m glad those are two different sentences.
Work is very, very, good. Work got me here:
Work was a bit of a pain-in-the-ass to be honest, it wasn’t easy getting here. I think that’s why I chose Laguna for a ‘victory-dance’ over this whole thing.
Speaking of work, there was a kiddo once who was the epitome-of-depressed, and, I decided that I will find a way to make her smile – that was my only goal that day. After an epic-battle of ‘questions’ (which she totally won), I stepped back and realized what her laughter really meant. I realized why I left Korea, and, the bad-assery of that job.
I realised, what Ann (boss lady) really meant when I left report for the last time...
(Me): “teach a man to fish,”
(Ann): “…exactly.”
I drink to you Yosuf.
I realised what I define as real-success. Not the beaches in Nam or Laguna, the beers in Moes or at Baby Blues. Its not the cars or bikes I drive, the hotels I have, or, the type of sunglasses I have. Hell, its not even about that crap-paycheck from the hospital for that matter. Its about what I want, where I want to go, and what I want to do for these kiddos.
Even if success is as simple as ‘questions.’
Game of Questions: literally, passing a ball back-and-forth between people and only asking questions. You cannot answer, if you do, you lose. Kiddos loved it.
To me defining success was not by the material objects, xbox's, trips to laguna, motorcycles, or skydiving trips…it was simple stuff that we did, that added up, to a successful ride through a psyche hospital. Even if its as simple as working for the patient, not, working for the hospital. As simple as a few colored pencils from Randalls, a bar of soap, or a number off a cell phone. Its as simple, to me, as a smile for the epitome-of-depressed kid.
All the while, mind you, working to get to a graduate degree at a school in Australia – but, not getting paid for it. Working, 77 hours one week at a mental hospital, and, finding an apartment in a different continent (everything.involved.with.uq., et. al).
Her smile was well worth those 77 hours.
This whole Laguna trip was expensive, and, well worth every dollar. It reminded me of why I'm going to school, got me in the right-mindset to leave the country (again), and I think I just needed a sense of peace with it all. A sense of peace, a confident-mind, a feeling that "everything is gonna to be alright." I think, I needed, what this monk has:
Right, so, what’s next?
Laguna Beach for 2 days, a 13 hour flight to Auckland, New Zealand…then a 3 hour flight to Brisbane. These 2 days have been exactly what I wanted them to be. I got in on Sunday around 3, took those pictures, then met the local Laguna crowd. Not as, Laguna-ey (read: douchey), as I thought they would be – MTV must have photo-shopped that high school in.
…not that I’ve ever seen that show, or, anything.
I’m ready to start school, I’m anxious for this flight. I’m excited and nervous, I’ve got what I call “skydive legs," where I can feel my heart-beating in the soles of my feet. Its time to do this already! I feel like I’ve been standing in the tunnel to run out on the field, in my own Super Bowl I call a graduate degree. Bah, lets do this!
What’s next, already!?!
I start school on the 3rd of March, and Orientation begins on Feb. 20th. I wanted a month in Brisbane, I decided on one more week at work and only 3 weeks before it all starts – it was worth it. I’m gonna miss that job. And that week payed for this hotel.
I’ve got 4 hours to kill, I just want the damn ball already!
Live high, ya’ll.
No comments:
Post a Comment