Wherever you go, there you are

...Or so says a book I have been reading. It's called 'Velvet Elvis', and it's one of those books that is heavier than the weight of its pages. The tag line for this book is "Repainting the Christian Faith" which is a fairly vague and incomplete representation of what the book is ACTUALLY about-- or, more correctly, it's an understatement. Suffice to say that this book has radically changed my views and perspectives (but not necessarily beliefs), and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a book that makes you think. Hard. But this is not a book club, and I am not Oprah. For now I'll focus on the phrase I've pulled from it and ...rant.

"Wherever you go, there you are."

The author is talking about escapism. He is saying that you can go rags to riches, move across the country, or get plastic surgery, but at the end of the day, you'll still be you --with all the same flaws and insecurities that you tried to fix by changing physical traits instead of dealing with the emotional issues behind your actions. I can understand how running away to another city because you couldn't make friends is not truly constructive. But I also think there is a method of escapism that is in fact beneficial...maybe necessary.

Sometimes running away for a few days/weeks/months is the best thing you can do. A little physical or emotional distance from everyone or everything gives you a chance to see your life from a new perspective. The root problem that what you are running away from may, in fact, be you. But that's fine. "You" coming with you on your escapist vacation, which means that you'll be able to determine exactly what baggage you are carrying with you besides that backpack. It's like an experiment, and your new physical/emotional distance is the variable. And when you travel you'll discover the constants: those patterns and habits and insecurities that seem to be unchanging no matter where you live or who you shut out. Does this make any sense?

I'm just trying to say that constructive escapism is a very helpful way to assess any problem, just as a kid will slam his door and sit alone in his room and think about why he's so mad. Timeout is such a beautiful thing. Constructive escapism = timeout.

This past weekend, I just had timeout.

Darcy asked me to go with him to Coldplay in Vancouver with his sister, Lena, and their mom, Ameeta. I really enjoy Coldplay, so I accepted the offer. Some other friends were coming out to Vancouver too. It was like we had taken our calgary life and brought it to Vancouver since so many close friends were there. I arrived with Lena and Ameeta on a plane late thursday night. Darcy had driven out with Marya and staying on Vancouver Island...somewhere, so I was supposedly fending for myself until I met up with them. However, I had made zero attempts at planning anything as far as accomodations and transportation for my five day adventure. Ameeta and Lena (who were very generous and patient in response to my lack of planning...thankyou!) offerred me a spot of floor to sleep on until I figured out a plan. Luckily, they hotel decided to upgrade their room, turning that spot of floor into a nice queensize bed. aaalllright.

That's one point for Not Planning.

I informed Ameeta that I would be taking the ferry across to Victoria the next morning in hopes of meeting with Darcy, Marya, Charles, and Brynn. But the details were very vague and too far in the future (15 hours later) to bother with.

"Okay, well what time would you like to catch the ferry?"
"hmm...morningish?"
"How are you getting there?"
"I dunno. bus? train?"
"Well I'm actually meeting a friend right near there in the morning. I could just drop you off on the way."

Perfect! Two points for Not Planning.

On the way to the ferry, she asked some fairly important questions:

"The ferry docks about 1/2 hour outside Victoria. How are you getting downtown to meet with friends?"
hmm... "I'll catch a bus I guess..I'm sure there must be one somewhere. I'll figure it out when I get there."

On the ferry, I watched whales jump and played guitar on the top deck, carefree. A man named Ray in his 50s seemed to be listening, and we eventually struck up conversation. Since he was a local, he asked what my plans were in Victoria. I told him I had none.

"Well don't you know where you're sleeping tonight?"
"...no."
"Don't you have friends in Victoria?"
"Yes, but i don't know where they are."
"Well where are you meeting them?"
" I dunno. Downtown, I guess."

I smiled and blissfully strummed my guitar. He did a little bit of panicking for me.

"How are you getting downtown?"
"I dunno. Bus, I suppose."

He shook his head and frowned slightly. "The busses needed to be pre-arranged. You're too late now. I suppose I can drop you off downtown if you'd like."

THREE points for Not Planning. (As long as you forget the part about getting into a stranger's cars far from home and all that. But Ray seemed like a cool guy.)

We jumped in his big truck and began headed to Victoria. I learned he was a weapons carrier for Vancouver area. And we are talking warheads, grenades, dynamite and torpedoes here. I eagerly tried to peer in the back of his truck. He claimed to work for the government, and I chose to believe him. He now has a copy of Clarity Amid The Chaos, which he was thrilled about. This serves as my first hitchhiking experience.

To lump the rest of my trip together, it was a great time. I love the west coast (grey skies and all), Coldplay was an 8.5/10(they were captivating, but not explosively epic. great seats though). Friends/family were amazing.

As I walked the streets of Victoria/Vancouver, I felt comfortable and at home, no matter where I was wandering. And it was at that point that I realized that it wasn't where I was, it was who I was. I am becoming comfortable being me... at home in myself. I realized that I'm still the same person there as I am here. It just took going there to see who I actually am, I guess.

Wherever you go, there you are.

My west coast timeout was wonderfully helpful. Self-reflection was the theme, spurred on by the aforementioned book. By not planning a minute, and remaining open to new plans as well as new ideas from this book, I was taken (both mentally and geographically) exactly where I needed to go...wherever that ended up being.