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| Cinque Terre, Italy! |
9/18/10
“When you want something, all the universe conspires to help you achieve it.”
-The Alchemist
Sometime over the past year I wrote this:
Which Bird Will You Choose
End your innocents. Leave. And take.
Open your eyes to a journey you will never forget. Take your heart and set it to the birds. Be the choice and take the blue owl on the left. Next to the wing, grip the lucky feather. Hold on to the small feather that will take you to your extravagant odyssey. The key: fly and let everyone see you. Not to boast, but spread the know they too can be free and choose the out. Bird, open the door to your house and fly out of its iron walls.
Staring at the door key when they are staring at you
Push back the curtains, be naked, let them see
Hearts will show the bloodshed hole
Open sores, gapping deep love, scars of the only melodies of life
Staring at the door key when they are staring at you
Embrace the mountain that moves your soul the most
The hills of the earth will set a test, a test that in the end will shoot down the bird
It will bring white morning glories awaking journeys in far reach
There in the moment of years
Too late to take the two fingers
Too late to be what you need
Too late to be your manufactured seed
Staring back at the door key when they are staring at you.
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| My Dadders taking me to the ATL airport to start the adventure! |
Driving into Atlanta for the last time my heart was racing looking at the buildings of familiarity. Realizing soon I would be in Europe for three months to a year and possibly by myself. Every time that thought entered my mind I was hit with a wave of nausea. As dad gave me a tight hug and snapped a quick picture together my eyes welled up as he said, “Be careful, I love you”. Dazed with excitement and fear I went through security finding my seat on the plane. As I was peering out the window watching the trees turn into a blur my adventure began!
My friend Holly, her friend Zach, and her cousin Trevor began in Rome. The four of us were in awe over the many attractions Rome has to offer. Rome is full of old places and tourists. After a day there and being a bit overwhelmed with the crowds we left on a train to Florence!
We were hoping to spend a day drinking wine in Tuscany, but the tour wasn’t offered that day. Instead we roamed the city talking to locals and taking in the quaint town. We met a petite older lady who lived right outside of the city. As we were introducing ourselves I told her my name was Kat. She looked puzzled and pulled out a Time magazine with a cat on it. She said, “like this” pointing to the picture. As I nodded my head yes she broke out into hysterics. She proceeded to laugh more than what was appropriate. Then turned to Zach and said, “Who is he…Dog?” Then we all loss control laughing at the cultural differences!
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| Cinque Terre. At hostel overlooking the ocean! |
We arrived in Cinque Terre on a rainy yet still beautiful day. We settled into our hostel then quickly made friends with two girls who had been there for a couple days. They took us out to the cemetery on a bluff next to the ocean. We all sat on the cliff blissfully peering at the moon light up the ocean and city far below. Watching the waves crash against the rocks they belted out the most beautiful rendition of Ava Maria I have ever heard! Sitting there in awe I realized there may be hard and lonely times in this journey, but times like this one make it all worth it!
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| The Vatican. |
Now further north to Switzerland….
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| Holly and I at the Vatican! |
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| The original 4 in Florence. They stayed with me the first ten days and we had an absolute blast!! |
Poem interpretation please. I'm thinking that your blue owl is symbolic of wisdom - "wise as an owl". The occult uses owls as symbols for evil, magic, and death. I read your poem to speak of choices, freedom, courage, exploration, carpe diem, and no regrets. Am I reading it correctly?
ReplyDeleteKeep "sitting on bird eggs". You have always seen life from a different point of view. I wish you many more "Ave Marias" - Love you. Mom
imagination and freedom for sure..and the rest of what you mentioned except for the dark things! You were reading it correctly! Thanks mom!
ReplyDeletePretty funny about the old Italian lady.
ReplyDeleteI remember Cinque terre. I was there back in 1999. It was the 2nd stop on a 5 week solo back packing trip through west Europe. remember thinking at the time that it was the most beautiful place I had been to in my life at that point (it was literally my second trip ever) and actually still is now having been to 37 countries.
I remember thinking that the water down below from the cliff edge where I stood was the clearest and most pretty shade of blue-green I'd ever seen and that if I knew how to swim, i'd have taken the plunge in.
I was lucky enough to have dinner with a local family and thinking it was the best spaghetti I'd ever eaten. It just tasted different and more like what spaghetti and sauce should taste like. Thanks for taking me back there...
I'm loving your Blog. You express your feelings and experiences so well that it seems as though I am a part of it all. Fly as high as you can safely and keep an open mind. Being basically alone could be an advantage.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your next blog.
Love, G'mother