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Suffering amidst beauty
“…I learned to notice the beauty first. However, it is often difficult to hold that space and life frequently kicks you in the ass (which is sometimes what you need to help you remember you are alive)! Then for some time, you become jaded and sealed up. Doing exactly what you needed to do to survive! Finally, beauty restores itself. Life cycles continuously between the beauty and the suffering, but sometimes there is a balance between the two, and you wisely ride that wave as long as you can…”
When I wrote those words two years ago, I didn’t realize how relevant they would remain. When my family committed to base jumping into uncertainty, I thought we would be riding the waves of joy for quite some time. As we drove from Seattle to Mexico, we were open to possibility. We had no idea how long we would be traveling or where our next home would be. We were prepared for an adventure of a lifetime. We frequently tell people that Mexico offered us time and space. I assumed that meant we would reach a state of bliss unknown to us within our hectic US lifestyle. What I didn’t anticipate was that the open space in our lives would let in joy and darkness. I also didn’t understand that our previous lifestyle included survival tactics, which were indispensable for my boyfriend. He has a huge personality, and many of our friends describe him as having a lust for life. Like many who appear jovial and the life of the…
