I finished my study abroad experience and have been home for three weeks. My outlook on life has been altered profoundly, and if my experience in Ireland has taught me anything, it's to take it one day at a time. I'm used to planning my schedule months in advance, always being busy, and having to "pencil people in," in order to make time for my family and social life. But when I was living in Dublin, however, the only person I had to worry about was myself. I took leisurely strolls through St. Stephen's Green, did my own grocery shopping and cooking, read books in the National Library, and planned my days one moment at a time. Choosing which path to take on my route to class was a private adventure, and making shopping decisions was a solo experience. I blew whichever direction the Dublin gusts were blowing, and had nobody to answer to but myself. Each day was fresh and new, giving me the opportunity to stay or go, tarry or hurry.
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| A place where I felt truly alive: Giant's Causeway. |
It's funny how once I got back to America, I fell right back into my pattern of planning out my life weeks in advance. I got back into the grind of play rehearsals, job interviews, and trying to make time for my loved ones. At this point in time, I know exactly what I'll be doing for the next four weeks, and there's almost no wiggle room to make ammendments.
How boring does that sound? If I start living in Philadelphia with the same perspective I had in Dublin, I bet my days could be just as adventurous and spontaneous as they were in Ireland. From this point on, it's going to be my top priority to drift in the breeze the way I used to. It'll be my job to live one moment at a time, rather than anticipating life events that are 2, 3, or 4 weeks down the line. This new project of living as if I were in Dublin (but in Philly) commences now.
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