Saturday, June 19, 2010

"So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be..."


On May 26th at three o clock in the morning, Arina and I sat in the back seat of the taxi on our way to the airport. It was a beautiful, warm night, and the glowing moon rested low in the sky- illuminating the risen bridges. It was truly a breathtaking sight and I remember feeling slightly frantic, thinking I should take a picture but knowing that by the time I got my camera out, the beauty would have passed. I’ll never be able to show anyone the beauty that I witnessed that night but I think I might actually like it that way- sort of a secret goodbye. St. Petersburg pulled out all the stops that night and its beauty won’t be cheapened by a three by five glossy sheet of paper.

I think about that night a lot and the friends I said goodbye to, though I think little of everything else. I sometimes even wonder if Russia was all a dream. How can life just be what it was before? How can it feel like it doesn’t matter? Life is just a blur of busyness and the end of it all surpasses my vision. It’s not bad…it’s beautiful actually…but it’s busy.

One of these days I promise myself I’ll turn off my phone, shut down my computer, get in my car and just drive. I’ll drive away from the familiar, the excitement, the opinions, the expectations, the catch-up dates, the overdue phone calls, and every other direction I feel pulled in. I don’t know where I’ll go or what I’m expecting. I just want some time completely alone. Time to think. Time to process. Time to feel. I think perhaps I’ve been avoiding all of the above. But I’m getting tired of the emotional going.

I have little to share about what I’m feeling these days because I guess I’ve been feeling a little numb. Life just goes and my heart doesn’t know what to think. But it knows there is a difference between numbness and peace. Late at night that difference becomes a little more obvious.

…guess that means it’s time for bed…

3 comments:

Heather said...

YES, ELIZABETH. YES. Be alone. Do it. Then, let's talk. This is exactly how I've been feeling...l

kate said...

Portland at midnight. It does amazing things for the heart. I drove there a year and a half ago and it was perfect.

JaEDV said...

hey you.
I'm feeling this with you, and it's tough. i haven't even put as much on paper as you did in this post, but i WANT to. It's like everything that's in there isn't quite ready to come out. HOWEVER, I'm incredibly excited to see you in a few weeks! i love you.