I'm only three blogs in and I'm already losing my creativity on titles. Alas, such is my fate, and you'll have to take a rain check for a better title next week. Part of my excuse entails the fact that I am learning how to include an RSS feed from scratch and by hand. Weirdly more complicated than you might imagine. But I think I've done it... see if it works, and give me feedback on your findings. Include graphs and charts so we can figure out the enemy's weakest link... okay, I'm going to far, now.
I did something I'm not usually very good at and actually caught up with friends, this week. I helped one of them craft combat axes. Let's put that into sensible context, now. He is a member of the SCA and was hosting an event that weekend, and needed some axes for those who wanted to borrow them. Aside from working with tape, wood, foam and the like, it was pretty fun, if for no other reason than it just felt like a good old time right out of my high school days, hanging out in the basement, eating pizza, and catching up on life and laughing. I'll be the first to admit I don't think back on my school days with utmost "fondness", but that one struck a nostalgic (that's not the right word for it, but I can't think of a better one) chord.
In other news, I had the opportunity to help another close friend move out of his current place. The move itself wasn't too insane, per se, but a move is bad enough when you have half a dozen other challenges weighing you down in life, seemingly from every side. In respect of my friend, I obviously won't share more than that; but I think it's moments that- dealing with not one daunting task, but juggling several other persistent problems that you just can't seem to find the answer to. I count my blessings, and I have had a pretty good life- but it would taste a lie to say I haven't felt the pressure of those moments. One such a famous one to me happened in the winter of 2013 when I had just left home as a new young adult and committed myself to a service mission in the Philippines. It was only in a matter of some several short weeks that I had to learn a completely new language, culture and climate (sweat galore), which would have been enough pressure alone. But then, after only three months of "training", I suddenly found myself paired with another foreigner as fresh as myself- and worse yet, we both thought we had a better understanding of things than the other. But it get's better. Growing up in the mountains, I've known nothing but cold and snow when December arrives, and here I was with no sign of snow. But wait, there's more. I had to learn fast to take on a leadership role I knew nothing about. And yes, there's still more, and it was the straw that broke this camel's back- there was a girl (play that melancholy guitar song) who I thought I was totally coming back to, and had bragged about to my fellows- and yes, you mostly know where this is going, and it would've been one thing if she had told me, but it was her parents. In any case, there I was- just two days shy of the new year, and questioning almost every aspect of what I thought my life was.
Looking back, of course, I look at that moment like I remember crossing a river on a hike years ago- it was pretty cold and miserable, but it came and went. Unlike the river crossing, though, at the time of this occurrence, I thought it would just never end, and that darkness would just follow me forever. I suppose, in one way of speaking, it was true- in that trials and troubles have still followed me to this day- just as they have anyone. But what saved me from that ravine was a slow and gradual desire that grew in my heart- and I mean slow. It was weeks and even months, perhaps. I suppose you could say a combination of the desire to adventurously explore accompanied with a desire to serve was what started carrying me on. I would be caught a liar if I didn't say a large part of it was due to the constant companionship of a stranger who soon became a very good friend (and a man to this day who many claim to be as weird as myself, if you can fathom it). Returning to my experiences this week, in that light, with helping my friend move, I was glad I could be a friend in that moment (though backing into his car might have negated some of that help.
That actually ties in to the last thing of this week. Now, I cheat, because it was actually just today (and I'm a day later in writing this than I meant to be). The community in which I live, specifically the schools were celebrating Hope Week, with a theme of Light Up The Night. The uniqueness of the celebration took me by surprise at first, because the announcement went out on a Facebook page that all in the area should turn off all their lights at a given time in the evening. Following that, from atop the highest peak overlooking the valley, spotlights would shine for all to see. At that point, we were to turn our lights back on. The idea was that a single light in the dark can illuminate much- sometimes more than would be presumed. I couldn't help it when I saw the theme Light Up The Night, because it threw me back to a really good song I've been listening to a lot lately by the The Protomen called by the same name. Shameless plug, that album (in tandem with their debut album: The Protomen) is one of the coolest rock operas ever and I love it. That song tells the story of unjust rulers who try to suppress freedom, and how one man standing up can spark the biggest fire they've ever seen. Low key, in my opinion, it's the sublime message of rock-and-roll in a nutshell. And full credit, it was my brother who introduced me to it.
But I've rambled enough for a week's worth. Ask yourself this week if you try to light up the night. It might be one of the most medjo pangit things you can do. Until next time, Toodles.