This was an insanely busy weekend for me. I spent over 12 hours in the car between Friday and Sunday, which is beyond unusual for me. Made it up to Seattle for my dear friend's 30th birthday bbq and got to see some of my oldest friends from sixth grade. My middle school years were spent hanging with five neighborhood boys who were also in my grade, and seeing a couple of them this weekend as grown-ass-men truly made my heart swell. Love you guys forever and a day.
I made it back to Olympia around 1am on Saturday night and crashed hard for 5 hours before waking up to hike Packwood Lake! I've only done this trail once before but it was super memorable and gorgeous. Sadly this time the elusive PNW fog rolled in and hid the full-frontal Rainier views. The grey clouds and empty threat of rain made for a moody and beautiful scene despite my disappointment over the missing mountain backdrop. The haggard running around I'd done for two days prior definitely got to my brain though as I forgot my damn hiking boots for the first time EVER. I did this nearly 10 mile hike in Vans skate shoes and now have three aching blisters to show for it. Amateur move! Never taking those puppies out of my trunk again.
Claire at Packwood |
Moody blues and grays disguising the green hues of glacier water |
Goat Rocks Wilderness |
A better view of the Green waters running through |
Claire and I on Winnie The Pooh bridge |
All in all, this weekend was a blast from the past and got me deep in my feelings, pondering the fleeting nature of life and the very few things that last "Forever." In many ways I romanticize and chase permanence; something that may not ever be possible. Forever is a dream I cant seem give up on despite experience after experience begging me to detach and accept the temporary nature of corporal life.
My desire to hold onto things and stretch them out across infinite time and space makes me feel like the mythological character of Atlas who was sentenced to an eternity of holding the world up on his shoulders. I can try to control outcomes and longevity but the effort won't matter and results won't materialize unless they're meant to. So much of what we experience and feel is utterly brief and ephemeral, no matter the momentary intensity... Existence is such a wild ride.
Perhaps longing for something elusive that I can rely on is just my nature, as both a weirdo and a writer. I consider myself a frustrated idealist, akin to many of my heros: Vonnegut, Twain, Whitman, and Huxley. At least I'm not alone.
"But I forgive, I been forgiven, I hold grudges too/
I'm just a work in progress, I'm not even through" -Gucci Mane
I'm just a work in progress, I'm not even through" -Gucci Mane
Besides a gorgeous hike with two great people, I also got to see a few of my favorite things yesterday: dilapidated farmhouses and amazing roadside signs. These relics warm my heart and somewhat satisfy that devilish hunger for the everlasting.