An ‘Extreme’ Surprise

(January 2007)

This past Christmas, one item on my wish list was to renovate my bedroom, in which I had lived and amassed ‘stuff’ for the past 20 years. I envisioned my new room with a fresh coat of vibrant paint on the walls—perhaps a burgundy color—to replace the pale-green wallpaper, built in shelves to maximize wall space instead of miss-matching bookcases, and a new meditation corner where the old stereo and speakers took up useless room. When Christmas day arrived, my parents gave me a homemade coupon redeemable for ‘an extreme room makeover’ and said they’d be happy to help me with my project. Excited, I thanked them in advance for being willing to assist with the refurbishing of my room, and got started on some preliminary excavations before leaving for my New Year’s trip to DC. I was thrilled about the plans to continue with the project upon my return from DC on the 4^th of January, and was ready to turn my childhood quarters into a modernized dream room.

So I left to DC for almost a week, ready for a nice dose of travel adventures and colder weather. After a pretty tough first semester of teaching, I was eager to take advantage of my vacation from school. My trip turned out to be an amazing one. Highlights included: going back to Charlottesville for a nostalgic visit and a fun jam session with James, going on an adrenaline-filled solo hike in the serenely beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, seeing my college roommate Korina and sharing the wonderful company of her and her husband’s families, spending New Year’s Eve with my other college best friend Shelby, rollerblading and bike along the Potomac River with Jason and Sasha, and seeing my twin brother as a teacher for the first time in his Arlington high school. It was the perfect trip, exactly what I had been hoping for. I got away from Miami for long enough to feel the joy of independent traveling and the invigoration of cold winter weather, but also for long enough to get a renewed sense of appreciation for my current living situation in Miami, where people really dance in clubs and the sun almost always shines!

Coming back from my trip on the 4^th, I was in great spirits, feeling refreshed and re-vitalized after a wonderful week in Virginia. My joy multiplied when I was greeted first by Kate at the airport, then at home by Mom and Dad, and finally by Howard, Nadine, and Julie (who walked in only seconds after I put down my suitcase). I was overjoyed by the warm welcome they gave me, thinking nothing more than how kind and loving they were for greeting me in such a cheerful way. When I asked why it smelled like paint in the house, Mom told me that Dad had done some work in their upstairs bathroom. After a few moments I decided to go see what changes he had made.

I didn’t find anything to be much different in the upstairs bathroom. But when I turned towards my room to drop off my bags, I noticed a sign on my closed bedroom door that read: “EXTREME MAKEOVER, CC’s EDITION”. I stood bewildered at the thought that they actually pulled together the type of surprise only seen on reality television. They couldn’t have! I thought. Holding my breath, I slowly turned the doorknob and opened the door. And as the scent of fresh paint infused my nostrils, also the feelings of shock and awe filled my body, as I got my first glance at a totally transformed room.

There in front of me, as though straight from my initial visions, was a completely and beautifully renovated room! The walls were painted in a faux-suede burgundy—the exact color I had seen and admired in Kevin’s Arlington bedroom only 4 days earlier. (Apparently he had been an accomplice in surprise too!) The trim and ceiling had been painted with a new coat of white, making for a beautiful contrast with the new color of the walls. Even though the room was void of furniture, my rug and meditation pillows had been laid out in the corner with candles lit beside them, welcoming me home to my new serene environment. The most impressive addition of all was the brand new, custom-built wall unit where my old desk and book shelves used to be. Extending from one wall to the other and all the way to the ceiling, the white Formica unit—designed and built during the six days I was gone by the architect of our kitchen—not only looked gorgeous, but would also provide ample shelves and cabinets for storage space, and a wonderful expanse of working space.

I was absolutely stunned! After the initial shock set in, I began to realize how much time and effort this transformation must have required, and how much planning had been done in such a short period of time! I had been gone less than a week, and not only was the “makeover crew” was able to clear out the entire content of my room, strip the wall paper, paint the walls, and have a new piece of furniture designed, built, and installed, but they did it all in only a few days!

More than anything, though, I was left with such a tremendous feeling of gratitude towards the people gave me the most wonderful surprise of my life: my Mom—who spearheaded the initiative over a glass of wine with Marianne the architect, my Dad, Kate, Nadine and Julie, and all the other workers involved. Their hard work created for me a moment I will never forget, and a room that I absolutely love! To know that my family would devote their vacation time to do something that kind and thoughtful for me leaves me feeling more loved than I could ever deserve. The blessings in my life never seem to stop flowing and the generosity and love that surrounds me fills my heart with joy and thanks.

……And my new room ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! J check it out:

"A Prayer in Searching"

I am longing to find deep within me,
A place where my mind, and my heart are set free.

I have searched through the past, for experience is meant to teach,
I have searched in others, whom that place they have reached.

Yet with all of the soul I invest in this journey,
The roads of my future remain daunting before me.

But when my all I have spent I can fall right back down,
For God’s presence will lift me to my true solid ground.

I know not where I’m going, only he knows the way,
And I ask that he guide me, and with him let me stay.

Glad goodbyes I do bid, to my worries and fears,
For when trusting in God...

The heart sheds no tears.

written '03

Devotional Writings from Lent '06

Dear Lord,

On this day and always, may the feelings in my heart, the thoughts in my mind, the words of my mouth, and the actions of my being not only be acceptable to you, but be guided and marked by your will, your wisdom, and your love.

With my eyes, may I see the presence of your greatness in all that I experience. May I find clarity as I walk with you, learning from the past, embracing the present, and not worrying about the future. And may I observe the wonders of your love as it permeates our lives and unites us all.

With my ears, may I hear the constant trickling of your river of life, the source of all that is good. May I listen to your voice as it speaks to me in times of sorrow, but also in times of joy. And may I hear the voices of others, and respond to their calls with compassion, mercy, and love.

In my heart, may I feel the powerful presence of your Spirit. May I be comforted by knowing that you are with me in my journey, guiding me with the light of your love; and may I find strength in the faith that your wisdom is infinitely greater than my own, but that it speaks to me through what’s written on my heart.

In my mind, may I overcome emotions of fear, anger, doubt, and regret, by knowing that you are with me in those times of struggle. May I be mindful of the many ways I experience you, oh God, and may this awareness help me to always be connected with you as I live each day to its fullest. And may I find the peace that comes from the soul’s openness to your will.

Finally, with my all of my being, may I do what is right, love selflessly and wastefully, face my fears with courage, be true to myself, and reach my greatest potential by connecting to my higher purpose through you.

Thanks be to God, on this day, and always. Amen.

"The world calls"--Poem from 3/05

In a train—

The rolling hills upon which I gaze
Their trees and fields and colors
Never restrained
Leaving me in a daze.

In a train,
The world calls.

In a church—
The overwhelming calm that opens my heart
Brings spiritual elevation for which I search
Yet leaves me at the start.

In a church,
The world calls.

In a museum—
The sight of life captured by the strokes of a brush
To be relived, and be questioned
Inspires and tells so much.

In a museum,
The world calls.

In a concert—
The music lifts me to higher grounds
Beauty inside me moves my soul
Life becomes sound.

In a concert,
The world calls.

In a bookstore—
The treasure of writing brought together in masses
So much insight for a curious mind to explore
My eyes need time, but it passes.

In a bookstore,
The world calls.

And in a train,
The world remains
On the outside while I’m looking in.

Questions abound
Answers seem few,
Each day my path begins anew.

When will this journey for me become,
A journey I stop learning from?

These steps I take will never stall,
For outside, and in,

The world

Still calls.

Beach Poem

The shaded silhouettes of the palm trees stretch out before me,
As the sun falls slowly towards the horizon behind.

Dark trunks painted on the sand, now elongated
practically reaching the ocean from where I sit a hundred yards back.

The light on these magnificent trees, as on my skin, becomes golden--
a soothing change from the day's harsh rays.

The breeze from the water drops a few degrees,
continuing its gentle caress over my body as I lay here enjoying the moment.

Every footprint in the sand has become a pronounced shape
and the beach becomes a field of tiny pyramids.

It's getting late, I should go,
but being here feels perfect.

And I want to see how far these shadows can stretch.
7-10-07

Let the adventures continue!

Here goes nothing! A new day, a new blog, and a ton of new stories to share. Last time I was doing this I was living my first year out of college in France, getting a true taste of independence (and the French lifestyle, of course!) It's when "la quete de soi" started, the quest for self-discovery, shaped since then by many interesting adventures. And with this new blog I hope to put into words some of those amazing experiences from the past few years, and the ones that are still yet to come.

I'm eager to receive your thoughts and comments about whatever you read, and hope you enjoy!
:)
ps: though it can be hard to find "adventure" in Miami, bike rides to the beach on the new canondale are always a reliable outlet!