3.

Travel and Life feel entirely too separate this last week, so I suppose the only right thing to do is honor them both in their own way. 

Life. 

Some days hit you harder than others. Recently I have learned how I have severely disappointed somebody. For the last week and a half, I have been gutted by the reality that my actions can so deeply impact somebody in a negative manner. 

We all set out to be positive figures in this world. We desire closeness with others, hoping to depart something good as much as we desire to receive something good. When we fall short in our part of the relationship, it can feel demoralizing. Especially when we are unaware or we were actively trying to be a different way. 

It’s humbling. 

I am not as good of a person as I thought I was as much as I am not as good as I wish I was. There is more learning to do, more growing to do. All we can do after we hurt somebody is own it. We own it, we cry on our own or with other people, not affected by our mistake, and we change. Change can’t come in a day. We can’t just feel bad because we have been exposed to something. We must desire to change for it is the right thing to do. It must be something that is shown over time in a consistent manner. 

So we strive to be different day after day, not forgetting to live. 

Truly, the concept of “working on ourselves” must be balanced with living our lives. If we intellectualize change and self-awareness to such a degree to which we’re always thinking about it, I’m not sure if tangible, embodied growth is possible. We get stuck in a labyrinth our mind creates where we forget to have experiences, to be present in the small moments. 

I am speaking to myself more than I am trying to tell anybody how to live. One of the reasons I decided to travel this year was because I wanted to live. I’ve mentioned this before and I’m sure to mention it again. I’ve been trapped in the state of always striving to be better, always figuring myself out, always finding new levels of self-awareness. 

And we must work on ourselves. Of course, we must. Yet we must do it in balance, with appropriate rhythms that leave room to rest. We cannot be perfect in general, let alone at once. 

That’s what I’ve been pondering this week: making the appropriate steps to be better and also not getting trapped in rumination where I forget to live. 

Travel 

Rockland, Maine

Portland, Maine

Precipice Trail, Acadia National Park

These three spots were my playground this week and they did not disappoint. There is something special about seeing new places, getting outside, talking to strangers in a new location, that warms my heart. It brings excitement to life. I have the ability to do something new, connect with someone new, eat something new. 

Portland had this lobster noodle dish at Honey Paw that was omg level fuego. I swear to god I thought I was going to literally die of happiness. 

I’m not normally a food taker but this shit was so good I had to commemorate lmao

I took a small little trip to Rockland, Maine to see this lighthouse with a mile-long stone-built walkway and stopped by a place called Claws, which had the best lobster roll I’ve eaten here to date. Again, death my good food is maybe my new favored way of going out. At the lighthouse, in the rain, I caught two love birds making out and I told them to stop rubbing in our faces we get it their in love (jk i only did that in my head).

I don’t just want to see things, I want to notice and be mindful of the things that I see. Never trying to tick a box or impress anyone else with “adventure” is exactly what I desire to avoid. Sitting on the top of a mountain, let me enjoy that moment, be still, and be grateful for the moment. 

Love to you all, I hope you find the goodness in the small moments. 

<3

Reid