Gett'n Zen

Why is it that someone special can inspire you to reach for your full potential as a human, rather than just as a worker-bee when alone? I met someone whos done little but rock my world for the last five months and the stability, or perhaps safety, that was comforting prior to our meeting, is on its head.

In as many months as years in the UK, I've decided to uproot myself from an established life here; all the very dear friends; the great job and future in it; the family; the cheap spacious flat near a park; the vibrant city that has treated me so well... Why? Why leap into the virtually unknown – to the USA, knowing there may not be many others to identify with? And all to be with someone known to me for less than five months?

We went to our fourth philosophy class Wednesday, and on Tuesday I started a course of yoga. Never done yoga, or philosophy before, but have been philosophical and tried to live a 'balanced' life albeit unmotivated to expand those tendencies in any academic sense. We do a lot of breathing in yoga and plenty of being still in philosophy. Both are supposed to bring you back to the essential elements of being. "We are given all we need in this life when we're born" so, as long as breathing's going on I won't need all my friends, steady job, house etc right?

I've done all this before, so it's really not as daunting as It could be. The difference is that this time the reason for moving countries is about chasing something, rather than running from it. That feels a lot more empowering. Seattle's an interesting city, with mountains and ocean nearby. There's loads of my kind of work with interesting companies. Change is good. Growth is better.

Growing is strange because it seems to come in spurts. I think if you graphed it, it would look something like this.

Inspiration seems to come in many forms. Sometimes its an experience, something you see, or sometimes its a person. The result of inspiration feels like an increase in knowledge that is disproportionate to the amount of experience normally required to accrue it.

My inspiration for moving is the same as that for taking up philosophy and yoga classes. I reckon that's worth following if not attempting to keep a hold of.