The gray skies of June have returned this morning, after 3 long, sunny summer days. Often the sea fog will burn off by the afternoon and leave Arcatians to enjoy an evening of sun (sunset around 9:00). Both Julie and I took our first ocean dip yesterday after soaking up massive warmth on the sunny beach. I even got a little sun burn on my shins (my sweaters protected my upper body, luckily we did not need our wool hats, as the pacific coast is one big air conditioner).
I have been joining friends and others for a pick-up game of ultimate frisbee on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. I have been trying to make it to every game as the workout is terrific. Most who show up are league players, which means that the level of play is skilled and fast. We do not yet have too many other regular events in our schedule. We hope that employment is just around the corner, but so far our leads have been non-responsive. We feel in a bit of a pickle about the monetary situation. As we continue to go into debt living our lives, it becomes increasingly more challenging to stand on the sidelines of our unknown jobs and cheer. We both have picked out some areas we might apply our skills should we be hired, and we have somewhat settled for the most immediate probability of employment for the most return on our efforts and yet our heart is not in it. And of course the sour taste of the pickle (not that good pungent tang from great kimchi, more like a mushy cuke that has rotted in it’s dilly brine from some off element) is that we are wandering through our day bored of the “vacation.” We often get comments about our journey like “living the dream,” and other such archetypal postulations. Well, the “dream” can only truly relate to the dreamer, and while we are still free from major tie-downs in this physical world, we have come up against possibly our biggest fear.
With all the pieces of urban life placed before us; clean beautiful apartments for rent, potluck dinners a few nights a week, available sauna, friends who love to have us around and join us on various activities, a small patch of soil to plant a garden, we feel ready to put down some roots and let the seed of our cross country journey sprout up. We do ask the question, “if we did not need money so urgently would we keep traveling on, visiting other friends and family, neat places and other summer time splendor?” I trust that our need has arisen out of our deep desire to “rest” awhile from the constant rolling along, to grow out the experiences of friends and community life. We feel fortunate to have found Arcata and this section of the Pacific coast. We are glad to be consciously making many of our decisions. Having been here slightly less than 3 weeks, I try to find the grace of patience and let myself off the hook of worry. As we both work through the challenge of opening our hearts, we are beginning to release the fear that we have too little money and that there are no jobs. There is enough! There is of course more than enough! This is an infinite place (universe) with infinite potential of infinite possibilities! And, if there is one thing that I trust, it is in the infinite love of all. Infinity is such a vastness that my human mind will never be able to see into all the possibilities, yet I know that the impossibilities are not contradictory to my situation or potential. As a matter-o-fact I pray that impossibilities enter miraculously into my experience.
Having rambled on enough for now I just wanted to let you all know that we are experiencing a change in our life and as the landing here in Arcata, Ca continues to unfold I will keep you posted. Love and light, Zach.
