The actual date this blog should be written is the evening of the 2nd of April 2010.
So I do apologize for not posting this any sooner...
Right now, on the 2nd; I am/was on a plane heading over my home, over an ocean, over the homes of many, above the lives of many, and under the world of plenty flying in the dark to a place called Japan.
Some parts of the way I was loving just writing away at things, and collecting thoughts for times like this when I would be writing about it all...
I noticed this 'Coat Hook' on the back of the passenger's seat in front of me. Started playing around with it; twisting, pulling and turning, watching the words go in a circle. Then I realized that it's actual purpose was to do exactly what it says 'Coat Hook'.
Then it got me thinking as I attempted to hook my sweater on it; how many other people in this world have hung their coats or sweaters or jumpers or shirts on this thing on a plane...this plane....this seat. Moving from the coat hook, started to think about the many lives that sat on this very seat which I am on before me. Started to think about those people and wondered what kind of a life they lead or still leading. And so the thoughts went on, much like the plane that I was currently sitting in, carrying my life, their life, their moments with me.
As the flight kept going on and on and on and after numerous trips around the plane in my socks, I eventually came to sit down, to have a quick nap, and wake up in time for breakfast.
I ate it watching the morning sun of the next day rise above the earth and shine on us, through the small oval shaped windows acting as an alarming ray to open our eyes to wake to a new day.
After breakfast; after having my tray of food taken away I kept the foldaway table down and pressed the button to call for assistance. Waiting for the assistance, I pulled out my ipod, sunnies, writing book, pen and my writing mind; as the flight attendant kindly responded to my call and kindly went to collect my request...Orange Juice.
I lived on this juice for this whole entire morning, requesting refill after refill....I survived and blew right through the time of this morning writing and drinking orange juice as calm music crept through my ears...This is what my foldaway table looked like....
I cannot describe this feeling of, having a peaceful mind in the morning with orange juice, music, writing essentials and the pure rays of natural light but...purely beautiful.
When arriving at my final destination. and after many many hours of traveling; finally reaching the street of where I was staying, I came across a very small shop, on a very tiny but BUSY street of things, which sold purely...and ONLY buttons.
By buttons I mean, actual buttons you seen on most clothing garments... The lady there was kind enough to let me take one happy snapshot of the place.
This is what it looked like...this is only the right-hand side of the shop.
I've always liked these types of attention to detail.
When you walk in there is not a button you cannot find for anything.
If you lose a button, this is the place to go!
Buttons, they're cool.
Returning to the draft of this blog post, I have aimlessly forgotten the original idea for the rest of it.
However, in an attempt to try and rebirth those thoughts, memories and ideas; I flicked through the photo's from this trip to see if I could remember a few things...'
I didn't.
However, I felt a much more richer feeling to write what I thought whilst looking through the pictures of this trip, only months ago.
When you travel, the simple principle of it is that you depart a familiar place of your own personal comfort, to visit another place that is familiar to someone else in this world.
Whether the term 'visit' means that you are going for a holiday or a business meeting, for work or even perhaps pursuing someone you don't want to lose, we always see something new.
When you go places, your close friends will tell you to "see this", or "do that" or even "don't go here". Although some of the places friends say to avoid may be a good decision, and often people do not go to such places that may be of a risky type. A visit to another part of the world is not just made up of the places people have told you see or go, or to take a particular route.
Especially with a holiday, a holiday is only a holiday through what YOU make of it to be.
Every little thing you do, every little you see, smell, hear, feel, touch and even love; you embrace it in your own personal way to make it your holiday.
Even with a business trip; people everyday fly, sail or drive to another part of the world to attend a particular meeting for the good of their firm/company they work for. Although often these businessmen travel, and half the time they are staring into their brief case and flicking through papers for their upcoming presentation, to prepare themselves, to finding the right words to say to earn a new business partnership, all of these small inspirations come from the environment they a surrounded with.
If you think for a minute, when you are sitting down somewhere to think about a particular thought, and you feel like you've hit a blank spot in your mind, we do often find ourselves lifting our heads to look out the window, or look up at the ceiling, gaze around the room or glare at our pet. Even if a thought doesn't come straight away, we seek answers in objects, people and the environment around us; and eventually, things start to click. And then we overlook the subconscious fact that our 'right' answer came from something that was near you, we never stop to thank the environment around us which always gives us inspiration to think, to talk, to feel.
We overlook things.
We say we truly notice the small things, but I don't think we do.
Thinking about the small things that surround us, isn't small enough.
It goes down to thinking about the thoughts of a thought; and thoughts of that.
But it doesn't end there. It keeps going, we will never know where these connections end. We never will.
and it is not about getting to that point; it is more about establishing an understanding of how our own thoughts work, it is more about gaining all of the possibilities and potentials around us.
We are always too busy noticing our own small problems rather than the 'greater smaller things' that make our own personal small problems answered.
If we could just simply notice the world's we visit rather than the world of our own, then these visits would evolve to be more than a holiday, more than a business trip, more than travel.
We take traveling for granted as well. For those that travel frequently, whether it is a holiday or for work. Think of those, that have not had the opportunity to leave their own familiar place to see where the sky connects to, to see where the clouds drift to, to see the billions of other smiles that shine beyond their world across the ocean.
Every time you travel, it is important to have your fun, to enjoy your time. But at the same time, create that fun and enjoyment even more but traveling for those that cannot. Bringing people back gifts and souvenirs is a kind and loving gesture. However, it is even more of a quality gift; that you truly embrace that particular part of the world you have visited as much as you can. To return, to share your experience, to share your business propositions you have made, to share and love your stories and to understand and listen to yourself as you share 'YOUR VISIT' to another life.
Embrace Life. Embrace Soul. Embrace your own thoughts.
Notice the world around you. Take part in the environment that helps you think.
Be part of that environment to help another think.
Embrace Life.
Embrace. Understand. See. Believe.
bp-16
*Please disregard my mother lying in the background for some odd reason.
