Beginning

Hello world,

Summer is quickly passing, and I'm realizing more and more how it feels like it was never here! I want to say "this summer has been the busiest of my life!", but I've probably said that before. But still...I think this time I really mean it. It has been full of enriching experiences and beautiful landscapes. I have, as usual, packed in a ridiculous amount of various activities and trips.

So, amidst this busyness, why do I think it is a good idea to start a time-sucking blog? Good question.

Anybody who knows me knows that no matter how busy I am, the observable busyness on the outside is only a fraction of the busyness taking place internally. My curious mind never slows. Observing a variety of cultures and lifestyles this summer has lead me to deeply question the lifestyle and set of beliefs that have always felt normal to me.  However, reality is that this has been the story of my life. I have never been mentally satisfied with any ideas that I've held. At various times throughout my life, those around me have all seemed to have 'arrived' and decided how they are going to live the rest of their life. They've established their value system and confidently move forward. I, on the other hand, have always lagged behind a bit. I have always been very aware that any conclusion I arrive at on any given issue, is only temporary. I continue to challenge myself, never being satisfied with what I think I understand. I have always turned simple things into complex things. This is not something I do intentionally! I wish I did not do it. I actually view it as some what of a curse. But after 23 years of doing so (okay, maybe more like...13 years, I wasn't all the profound before age 10.), I'm trying to accept the fact that it is not something I can just change. I will overthink things, and I will never be satisfied with what I know. So that is where this blog comes into play.

I do not need to hear myself think anymore than I already do. I am not starting a blog to write to myself. I am writing because I'm sure that those reading are much better thinkers than I am. I know that there are incredibly wise and experienced people around me. Ideally, I would be sitting down with a cappuccino and a *your drink of choice*, and just talk through it all face to face with anyone who is interested in listening and conversing. But let's face it - the pace of society is faster than anyone can handle, so this is not likely to happen. So I resort to this.

I want your input. I want to interact with you. I want to grow, be challenged, and expand my mind and my heart. I want to know you too. I want to be honest about my brokenness, my shortcomings, my lack of understanding, my passions and dreams, in exchange for the same level of honesty. To me, there is no point in offering anything less. I'm not going to grow by offering a partial view of my messy heart in order to deceive everyone into thinking I'm something that I only wish I was. So please don't bother doing that with me either.

If you'd like to be apart of this continual journey to learn, seek, and genuinely live a life worth living, please leave a comment with your email address, and I will "invite" you to follow this blog, as it will soon be made "private". (I've always thought term that seemed silly in this case...invitations are for exciting or exclusive things. I've always thought it was an honor to be invited to something...and I wouldn't exactly say that it's an honor for you to read my jumbled thoughts, but whatevs. it's what they call it.)

Until we speak again,

RG