A Walk In The Park

Today I took a long walk from my house in the Mission to Golden Gate Park. It was pure bliss. Nothing but sidewalks, music in my ears, and sun on my face. I walked over hills, passed endless femininely painted Victorian homes, and into the park.

There was a music festival going on! Who knew? Not me. But the lineup included Goo Goo Dolls, One Republic, and Plain White Tees. More on this later. I walked by the festival and into the de Young Museum of Fine Arts. I felt like a schoolboy on a class field trip, on my own in a museum, with endless works of art pining to be admired. I had lunch at the cafe, and walked around the various exhibitions, including Richard Diebenkorn's "Berkeley Years" and Bulgari jewelry. I barely scratched the surface, but eventually had to leave the museum to make my way back home.

As I walked once again by the music festival, I could hear, "Broadway's dark tonight, a little bit weaker than you used to be." The Goo Goo Dolls show was just wrapping up, finishing with their biggest hits. I caught the last two songs. Back through the park I retraced my steps, making sure to take a different path than the one I came so as to see more of the city. I stopped and got some tea to go, and then completed my journey home.

It was a long walk. I don't know the exact mileage, but I wasn't counting. Sometimes, it's better not knowing.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my future--career, life, even my nonexistent future-family. 23 isn't hard so much as it's foggy. There's no sea parted in front of me and sometimes, this can be scary. I dare say I'm not the only person my age who feels this way. I don't know what's to become of me, though I've always felt like I have a gift to share--then again, I suppose I won't know until I know.

Is life so different than a fine arts museum? Will our work be hanging somewhere in a room for others to admire? Or will we be swept away into the pages of time, leaving not even the faintest trail of breadcrumbs that we were ever alive. I wish I knew. And even if I did know, I'm not really sure how that would change things.

All I can do is keep walking, keep taking the "road untaken" and hoping for the best. Walking's not so bad. There's always something to see--always a few surprises waiting for you. Today, I just wanted to take a walk to clear my mind, to get some exercise, and to see where the day would take me. It was just what I needed. A walk in the park. Music, sun, and miles of sidewalk, waiting to be taken.

Defining Success

Can you define success? Such a word is relative to all who seek it. We think we know what success looks like for others, but when it comes to defining it ourselves, we're lost.

I like using the "reverse engineering" strategy for setting goals and reaching them. For example, to become a better writer, I have to write--thus this post. But if you have trouble imagining your ideal future, this method is totally useless.

Keep in mind that one person's opinion of what success looks like is not applicable to all. What we see in movies or magazines would actually be irrational to most.

You don't have to set the bar low to be "successful", you just need to set the bar where no one has dared to put it before. Low, high, wherever it is should be unique to you. You're already the best "you" that you can be--because you can't live in the past, and the future has yet to unfold itself.

"Success" is like a mirage, constantly changing in appearance and realness. If you follow other people's mirages, you'll be thirsty. But if you seek your own definition and walk persistently, you'll find an oasis--coconuts, palm trees, and all.