Random Acts of Kindness

Unfortunately, I won't be able to include any photos in this blog post because the computer I'm on is older and does not have an SD card slot...sadface :-( I promise that I will post some good photos in my next post!


I want to share a story about one of my days on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Skye is an island off the west coast and is part of what is called the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. the scenery is literally breathtakingly beautiful. No matter which way I turned, I felt like I was in a painting. That's pretty much the only way I can think to describe the landscape on Skye. The pictures I post will never do it justice. The island itself is only about 130 miles long and 7 to 25 miles wide so you can cover the ground in only a day or two, but if you ever get the chance to visit, I suggest renting a car and just...driving. You will not be disappointed. 

Before starting my story, I must also take a moment to share that before arriving on Skye, I took a detour to the little town of Dornie, to view Eilean Donan Castle. I have discovered that castles are one of my favorite things, and this particular castle was by far at the tope of my list. It is very famous and was even featured in several movies ('Entrapment' being one of the more recent ones). The land on which Eilean Donan sits is plush and insanely green; the rain and fog that lingered on the day I visited just made the ambiance more mysterious and magical. Just typing all this makes me so sad that I can't share photos with you, but rest assured I will as soon as I can. 


So back to my story...


After arriving in Skye and meeting a few of the other hostelers, I made friends with Brodie, from New Zealand (!!!), haha y'all know how I love New Zealand. I learned that Brodie worked for the forest service there, and basically hikes for a living, so I somehow convinced him to be my hiking mate for the following day -- there were some scenic overlooks I had read about that I wanted to try and find. We met in the reception area around 10 the following morning and set out for the day. Upon arriving at Tourist Information, we learned that we had missed the first bus to the northern part of the island and the next bus didn't come for almost 3 hours (apparently buses run rather infrequently on remote islands). Not wanting to wait for the next bus, we decided to start walking toward the area we were trying to get to, which was 15km away (just over 9 miles). We knew we wouldn't be able to make it the whole way, but we figured we could either hitchhike or catch the bus whenever it actually came by us, if we hadn't found a ride by then. Now, before y'all start hyperventilating because I said the word "hitchhike," let me just say that the lady at Tourist Information SUGGESTED that we hitch. Hitching is very common in Scotland, mainly because there is so much open land I think, but either way it is a common way to travel and is much safer than the wacko truckers in the desert you are probably imagining. Further, on an Island with less than 5 gas stations and a population under 10,000, the biggest crime concern is neighbors stealing oil from your oil drums for heat in the winter, coupled with the number of tourists, and the fact that there is only one way on or off the island (unless you pay for the ferry) it's really one of the safest places I will go on this journey. 


So off we went, up the A855 highway toward Staffin, where our destination lay. Walking through that scenery was just indescribable, the lush green foliage, the rocky cliffs, the sheep and cows that walk right up next to you...it really was like a dream. We got just over 2 miles out of town when it started getting windy and looking like rain, so we decided to try hitching. Neither me nor Brodie had ever hitched before so I don't think either of us was really sure what we were doing, and I think that must have been consensus of the cars that whizzed past us and our outstretched thumbs. FAIL. But not completely. Just a little more ways up the road, and finally this little red car pulled over and a girl my age got out to take photos of the view arising over the crest of the upcoming hill just ahead of us, know as "The Old Man of Storr" (again, pictures will follow). We asked her if she knew how far the next town was. She stated that she didn't know for sure, but that she and her boyfriend would be happy to give us a ride if we wanted. We took her up on her offer, and that is how we met Anna and Duncan, from South Africa! They were also on holiday in Scotland, and had come to Skye for the day just to cruise along the coastline and take pictures of its beauty. We ended up spending the entire afternoon with them, driving all the way around the northern most tip of the island, stopping to take pictures of the land and getting to know each other. Anna and Duncan are wonderful people to know; it was a great unexpected addition to the day, and they were really very selfless for sharing their day and allowing us to tag along for the better part of the afternoon. I truly enjoyed being in such good company with new friends.


When they had to start thinking about driving back to the mainland, Anna and Duncan dropped us off in the town of Uig (pronounced "ooo-ig"), where we planned to catch the bus. The rain had finally caught up with the 4 of us at the isle of Skye museum about 30 minutes back, so after being dropped off, Brodie and I stopped in a cafe for a cup of tea before our bus arrived -- we had another hour wait for our infrequent bus ;-) ...it was really beginning to look threatening outside in addition to being quite chilly. I was wearing everything I had brought with me for the hike, which included tie dye pants, my brother's flannel shirt, a striped scarf, and a wildly pattern Scottish wool cap...yep, I was STYLIN' ...seriously can't wait for y'all to see THAT picture! :-)

When that bus arrived, the driver told us that his bus was the "long bus" and was going the long way back to Portree which would have cost us double, but that the other bus going in our direction would be along in just over an hour. Being solo travellers on a budget, we decided to wait it out. Of course, the minute we made this decision and the bus pulled off, it started pouring down rain. I was okay for the first 10 minutes or so, but then I was just wet, cold, and shivering. I was trying so hard not to complain but it was just so miserable out, and if you know me, you know I am always cold, so this was almost torture! Haha. Just as we stood up and started pacing the pavement to keep warm (about 25 minutes into our wait), we heard someone calling out to us. We turned around and it was the woman who lived just across the street from the bus station. She was outside smoking a cigarette and asked us if we've like to stand in her garage where we would have a clear view of the bus stop but still be sheltered from the weather. Not really believing that this was for real, we agreed and traipsed our soaked selves up the small hill to her garage. The lady's name was Kath and she shared with us that she was originally from England and that she and her partner had just moved into the house (which is actually Uig's old police station) about 2 weeks prior. Just then, Kath's partner, Heather, came out of the house with a tray of coffee and 2 mugs. After talking with Brodie on the bus later, we had both been thinking the same thing: that we had intruded on their afternoon coffee time. But no, we hadn't. Heather was bringing the coffee out for us! An hour later, we were dry, warmer than before, full of coffee and good conversation, and on the bus back to Portree.


At this point I was so dumbfounded, and the more I thought about the recent series of events, the more incredulous I became. In only 4 days I had experienced some of the most random, selfless, and generous acts of kindness, all from complete strangers who had absolutely no reason in the world to help me. The Murrays in Forres offered their home to me, free of charge, so that I could relax, rest, do laundry, and finally get over my cold. Call me crazy, but I like to think Memom and Johnny (my late grandparents) had a little something to do with my meeting them, there's really no other explanation for that :-) ...Brodie, after only knowing me for 5 minutes offered to accompany me on a hike, not knowing how trained I was or whether I would be good company or the most sinfully boring (or annoying!) person he had ever committed to spending an afternoon with; Anna and Duncan had driven us around for 4 hours of sightseeing and picture taking, allowing us to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the Isle of Skye alongside of them and not even considering the fact that we were imposing on their cozy afternoon together; and Kath and Heather had offered us shelter us from the terrible weather and even took the time to make us a snack while we waited. Even now, a week later, I am still trying to make sense of it. As a general rule, people don't welcome strangers into their home on a whim, hitchhiking or picking up hitchhikers is considered reckless and dangerous, and when random people are lingering outside our homes, we immediately assume that they must be up to no good. I understand it is a different culture here, but I found myself envious of this type of freedom. I use the word freedom because that's what I feel it is! Freedom to approach a stranger on the street and not worry that he/she might want to cause me harm, freedom to offer a helping hand or a ride to someone in need and not be concerned that they are going to take advantage of the situation. I feel like our society these days does not always allow us the freedom to be generous -- There must be something in it for us, we must have a motive behind our actions...what ever happened to just helping others for the sake of helping someone in need!? And not necessarily a stranger, but also the people and friends that we love and care for. We all have our own lives and our own agendas, but would it cost us too much to exercise a little more conscious effort and carry out a random good deed now and then? 


All I know is that these people who reached out to me really touched my soul with their selflessness. And I'd like to think that they helped me because they remembered a time when someone helped them. I may never see or speak to them again, but I will carry a piece of their generosity with me for the rest of my trip and hopefully the rest of my life. They were bright rays of sunshine to me, and I am forever grateful for their acts of altruism. To me, these are random acts of kindness that should be paid forward, and I fully intend to do that in honor of each of the people who extended their kindness and friendship to me. I don't know who or when, but I believe that when the moment to pay it forward arises, like Pat, Don, Anna, Duncan, Brodie, Kath, and Heather, I will just know...




"Through selfless service, eternal peace is obtained." --Sri Guru Granth Sahib

Keep The Heid!

Urqhart Castle, Loch Ness, Scotland

Loch Ness Beauty

 "Keep the heid!" (keep the heed) is a Scottish saying that means "Stay calm, don't get upset." I loved it, and thought it would be the perfect title for this post. My journey has been so full since I last wrote, it is amazing how much can happen in such a short amount of time. I am having a great time for sure, but this is definitely a more challenging road than I anticipated. I really think the hardest part for me, is that I am doing and seeing and experiencing so many wonderful things, but I have no one to share it with! I find myself in a new places, or on gorgeous landscapes, exploring so much beauty, breathtaking sites, and rich history, and so often I want to turn to my left (or right) and say "Can you believe this!?," or "Look at that!," or Isn't this amazing!?" ...and no one is there. I almost feel as if I am doing you all an incredible injustice by even attempting to put into words all that I am seeing and doing, because it just doesn't compare to the actual experience. I have always been someone who appreciates having my alone time and taking moments to spend with myself, and love that I have the freedom to do that here. I can go wherever I want, do whatever I want, and experience anything I can imagine. I really don't take that for granted...but sometimes, I wish I had someone here to share it with, and it makes me feel a little lonely and sad. This usually happens when I'm feeling tired, or when I lay down in a hostel on a bunk bed in the room I'm sharing with 15 other people. It really is so important to take a day or two every now and then when you don't have to be "on the go" ...just to hang out and rest, and not feel as if you have to do all this sightseeing and walking through town. It's hard not to feel a little guilty on those days -- I worry that if I spend a day resting I will run out of time and not get to see or do something that I really wanted to. But you have to make yourself rest! I have found that I really look forward to my train rides from city to city. It is a great time for me to catch up on my personal journal, or nap, or enjoy the scenery. I have tried so many times to take pictures out the train window, but unfortunately my camera doesn't capture the sights well. I guess those incredible views are a little something special just for me :-) With all that said, I am meeting some truly incredible folks over here, and  spending time with new friends from all over the world has been one of the most enriching parts of my trip thus far. And surprisingly, most of them have been travelling solo as well! So we meet and share our stories of what brings us to the travelling side of life, and what our post-journey plans might be. Having people to talk to, get to know, and go sightseeing with really eases the anxiety whenever I feel homesick. And I am getting better at just throwing myself into the melting pot of travellers, as opposed to keeping to myself until someone comes and talks to me. None of you will believe this, probably, but I am actually quite shy if/when I find myself in an unfamiliar situation. I know, I know, it was a surprise to me too ;-)

My first picture with a Bagpipe

So I have been in Scotland for nine days now, and it has been a wonderful rollercoaster ride of experience! I began in Inverness (smack dab in the middle of the country), where I luckily was able to meet up with a friend of a friend who took me on a walk around town. Inverness is a great town, not to big, not too busy...really just perfect. Oh, random thought: I LOVE BAGPIPES. Seriously could listen to them all day. I knew this before coming to Scotland, but I was worried I might get tired of them...NOPE. Can't get enough. If I didn't have my guitar to lug around, I would buy a set of them so I could learn. It is nuts how much I love these things. I'm pretty sure I must have been a bagpipe in a past life. So Inverness is great, met a wonderful crew at the hostel I was staying at, particulary Lili, who is from Belgium...I just thought the world of her, she was so kind and wonderful to spend time with...and she has a beautiful french accent that I could listen to all day! 

Me at Urquhart Castle with Loch Ness in the background

So in Scotland...people DRINK. Like, a LOT. And on a level so far above my capabilities, Haha! I have done my fair share of drinking in Scottish pubs over the last week and a half. I loved this one Pub, Hootananny -- it was the epitome of whatever you are imagining a Scottish Pub to be like. Wood floors (great for stomping!), traditional Scottish music (I swear I will get some videos posted soon!), loud, boisterous, dancing, frivolity...I went there on my first night in Scotland (and several nights after!) and the moment I walked in, I thought "WELCOME TO SCOTLAND, ANNIE!" The great thing is that they have Strongbow (Dry English Cider) on tap in most pubs (and I must also mention that they sell it in 2-liter bottles here, but I haven't brought myself to go there just yet! :-) haha), which happens to be a favorite of mine. Of all the pubs I've been to, this one gets my vote, simply because it had such a traditionally Scottish feel to it. I took a day trip to Loch Ness (about a 30 minute bus ride from Inverness) where I toured Urquhart Castle and the Loch (pictured above). No Nessie sightings unfortunately, but I was scanning the water pretty intently for a while! I also went down to the village of Drumnadrochit,  just off Loch Ness and walked around in their shops full of Nessie memorabilia and Scottish souvenirs. 

Kristen (Canada), Me, Andrea (Italy), Andy (Germany), Linda (Norway), Maragaret (Canada)
Pub Crawl in Edinburgh

I also spent two days in Edinburgh where I stayed at the Castle Rock Hostel which had an amazing view of Edinburgh Castle just out the front door. There I met a bunch of travellers from Canada, a couple Aussies, and a lovely girl from Norway! We all ganged up and had a blast on some city pub crawl's...Edinburgh is a great city as well...LOTS to do there. I particularly enjoyed Calton Park, which sits above the city and is full of monuments and beautiful architecture as well as plush green foliage. At the top of Calton Hill, you get amazing views of the city of Edinburgh, as well as views all the way out to the North Sea (see photos)! I also hiked Arthur's seat with a few friends. It was quite a haul, but we made it, although I did get stung by a caterpillar. Yes, I said caterpillar. You know the ones with all the bristles? Got me right on the ankle, which promptly displayed a rash and welt formation alongs with a terrible sting and swelling. That wasn't very fun, but thanks to my first aid survival kit (Shout-out to my Aunts who swore it would come in handy!) I was able to diagnose and treat my injury :-) ...The hostel I stayed at was probably the coolest so far...but the main reason it was so cool, was because the staff are IN LOVE with Bon Jovi! I walked in to Bon Jovi blasting at the front desk, a Bon Jovi backdrop on the office computer, and a poster of Crocodile Dundee that said: "Mick Dundee says 42 days until Bon Jovi!" (random!) which was counting down the days until Bon Jovi comes to Scotland :) ...Clearly it was the perfect place for me to stay! Edinburgh is also a lovely town to just walk around in. It balances itself between an "old town" and a "new town" -- extremely old buildings vs. very modern architecture. 

Me, Margaret, Paul, Ryan at the crest of Arthur's Seat

Top of Calton Hill, overlooking Edinburgh

So after lots of action and adventure in Inverness and Edinburgh, I have found myself in a small town off the coast of Findhorn Bay called "Forres." Perhaps one of the loveliest (and luckiest) stories of my trip thus far...


On my train from Liverpool to Inverness (9 days ago), I was exhausted and actually really looking forward to the nine hour train ride so that I could catch up on both sleep and writing. I had just spoken with Patrick on the phone, and was a little teary, since I was sick with a cold, tired, and missing home (I get pretty pathetic when I'm not feeling well). There was a cute, little, older woman sitting across the aisle from me, and she started talking with me. We ended up speaking for an hour at least, about well, everything. She was lovely to talk with, and made me feel better, as only "grandparents" can. :-) Just before her stop, she wrote down her contact information and told me that if I needed anything during my travels in Scotland to please get in touch with her, she would love to have me visit Forres. Little did I know that she and her husband run a small Bed & Breakfast here, where they offered to let me stay for 2 nights so that I could get some good rest, good food, and do my laundry. They have been the most delightful people to get to know on my trip so far. I just love it here. It has been so peaceful and I am really feeling rested and rejuvenated. They took me to Findhorn Bay and Moray Firth (bodies of water) and I have been enjoying tea and great conversation! Pat and Don are a wonderful couple and graciously share the spirit of true Scottish hospitality at its finest. I will be sad to leave here tomorrow, but with a pack of clean laundry and a tummy full of delicious food, I will be ready to pick up where I left off! They have truly been so kind and welcoming to a traveller like myself and I am so grateful for my time spent with them. 


I will pause for now, but will report more very soon! Tomorrow I leave for the west coast of Scotland: Kyle of Lochalsh, Eilean Donan Castle, and then a few days on the Isle Skye. Pray for good weather!


Love to all!


"And then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk to bloom." --Anais Nin


And and appropriate song...hmmm...the Scottish National Anthem on bagpipes perhaps!?

''Bathing'' in Beatlemania

Roman Baths

A view of the city from the rooftop pool

Rooftop Thermal Bath

First things first...if you ever want to visit England, GO TO BATH. What a wonderful city that was. It is an 18th century town, so all the buildings are pretty much as they were back then, it feels as if you are walking in a different time period and I loved that. It was the first time I was really all by myself, which was quite unnerving. I was only planning on going to Bath for the day and then taking a night train to somewhere else, which led me to realize that I did not know where I would go, nor where I would stay. To top it off, I had my first ''lost camera'' scare when I left my camera in the bathroom at the Roman Baths. I am so grateful to the kind person who turned it in for me, because I was thinking ''of course I would lose my camera less than a week into my trip. AWESOME.'' So after the camera scare and feeling lonely for the first time, I found myself in an internet cafe searching frantically online for lodging information and train time tables and was becoming more and more confused and stressed. I was definitely correct in thinking I had been spoiled with spending time with Dan and Kirsty at the start of my trip. 

This whole being alone thing was freaking me out, and I did not like it one bit. I was rapidly descending into negativity...a little of my inner monologue: ''I don't know anyone here...I really am all by myself...I have nowhere to stay...I'm only 3 days in and I'm already stuck I may as well just go home now.'' Forgive me for the melodrama, but seriously folks, I was in a bad way. I guess after staying somewhere for free, I was having trouble justifying having to pay for lodging! But then it hit me - ''I have money! I can stay in a 5 star hotel if I want! I'm not stranded at all.'' And slowly I came out of my funk. No 5 star hotel for me, but the owner of the internet cafe, Mburu (Boar-O) was kind enough to give me the contact information for a hostel close by and also invite me to a pub next to the hostel where a British Rock band was playing. I met up with him and some of his friends and we ended up having a great time! They were friendly and welcoming. Bars close around midnight in England, so I was pretty horrified when the band quit after 6 songs. I thought it was the end of their first set! The locals had a nice laugh at me over that one! Mburu's friend Tony also took me for a coffee and a stroll through Bath the following day before I left. Tony is from Belfast, Ireland (best accent award!)...he and his girlfriend have had a flat in Bath for several years. I enjoyed hearing about growing up in Ireland - he definitely made me regret that I am not going to be seeing Ireland this trip :-( ...major sadface on that one. 

Flipron

Other highlights of Bath: Romans Baths (duh!), Swimming in a rooftop thermal bath (pool) heated by England's only natural hot spring, aromatherapy steam pods at the Bath Spa (cost 2 days of budget for these two things, but really when will I ever get to do that again!?), and of course my first taste of local music...with great company!

Gotta say I am feeling pretty proud of myself for making it through my first mini-meltdown without calling home for a good cry and a pep talk. That's pretty huge, I think.

Tony, Me, Mburu

 Stopped in Bristol for a good night's rest with a friend of a friend...I was starting to feel a cold coming on and wanted to try and get a hold of it before it got worse. Would have loved to see more of Bristol, but was actually very happy and relieved to have a quiet night watching tv and chatting.

Liverpool

Oh Liverpool, how I loooooooove you! You may think I sold myself short in Liverpool, but my priorities there were very clear: THE BEATLES. I spent two days basking in Beatlemania: The Beatles Story Museum, Magical Mystery Bus Tour, and finished up with a night at the famous Cavern Club where The Beatles used to play, complete with an acoustic duo who played 4 hours of Beatles covers. Can you say HEAVEN? :-) To top it all off, I was able to meet up with my long lost friend, Paul, and his father who were in town for some Manchester United games. I hadn't seen him in 4 or 5 years, so it was pretty amazing to catch up under such unusual circumstances! I am quickly realizing how incredible it is to be surrounded by people you know and love!

''Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes''

 

Strawberry Fields Forever

Paul and I at The Cavern Club

After Liverpool, I headed up to Inverness, Scotland, which is where I am writing from. But those stories are for another time ;-)

I leave you with a Quote from John Lennon, and a video from Flipron. Enjoy!

''If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliche that must have been left behind in the sixties, that's his problem. Love and peace are eternal.'' --John Lennon

 

Spoiled Rotten

The last two days have been great. I took the bus from London to Andover and met up with Dan and Kirsty for my first ever Couch Surfing experience. If you are unfamiliar with CS, it is basically a website where travellers congregate and offer up their couch or spare room or whatever to fellow travellers for FREE! Don't worry y'all, it is totally legit and has gotten great reviews in the media....and after my first experience I can give it a good review too...Dan was kind enough to pick me up from the bus station and his girlfriend Kirsty offered me a cup of tea within 5 minutes of arriving = FABULOUS! Because they are renovating their bedroom, the living room was being used by them as sleeping space, but Dan put me up in his caravan for both nights. He is a sculptor and built this caravan out of completely salvaged materials (see photos below)! It was like a little playhouse...everything was miniature, but it was perfect for me to sleep on an air mattress and have some privacy. So anyway, a little recap of the last few days...

Day 1

My humble abode for the last 2 days :-)

Arrived in London, took the bus to Andover. Dan and Kirsty took me to the Avebury Stone Circles which are about an hour from Andover and similar to Stonehenge. We ate at a Pub called the Red Lion, where I had an England staple, Fish and Chips for dinner :-) It was delicious. Dan and Kirsty were so fun to talk to and told me a lot about the area and its history. Dan researches crop circles and is a bit of a historian on the history of Stonehenge and surrounding areas. I went to sleep easily, which I was worried about at first, but I was exhausted after forcing myself to stay awake and beat the jetlag...great first  day!

Avebury Stone Circle

    

The Red Lion Pub with Dan and Kirsty to the left

Day 2

Stonehenge! Really been looking forward to this. I took the train to Salisbury where I walked around for a while...and then took the bus to the Stonehenge site...note to anyone who plans to visit one day: PAY FOR THE SPECIAL ACCESS before or after peak hours (sunrise/sunset)...if you go during regular business times you cannot walk among the stones, you will have to walk around their perimeter. Now who in the world would pay to go to Stonehenge and NOT want to walk among them!? I can't even believe they even do that...how anticlimactic for the unsuspecting visitor who doesn't know this! It is totally worth it, I promise you. So my visit was the special access at sunset. The last bus out of Salisbury was at 4pm so I had a few hours to kill. Stonehenge is located on a national trust historic site so the area around Stonehenge is full of burial mounds and other richly historic things. I spent the afternoon walking 3 miles around the entire site, just thinking in awe about how ambitious it was for the neolithic people to build this stuff. Some of those stones weigh 40 tons! It would take 200 people to move one, and the bigger ones had to be moved 20 miles...That is so nuts to me. I just kept thinking ''What in the world was going through the guy's head who thought this was a good idea?'' It's awfully ambitious! Haha. Seriously though, the stones are so massive. You just can't even comprehend how big they are until you are standing among them, it's pretty unbelievable. The history of the stones is pretty incredible also, if you haven't read about it, you should. I've never been that interested in history, but Stonehenge completely captivated me. I think it just fascinates me how old the land is. We are so fortunate to be here, and we shouldn't take those that came before us for granted. Their work and dedication to the land is what brought us to where we are today...

Salisbury, England

Salisbury Cathedral

                                       

So these last 2 days have been so easy! I feel very spoiled. I had a free place to stay with some really cool people who were uber kind and accomodating and everything just flowed so smoothly. I have no doubt it will not be this easy the whole time, so I will be interested to see how I handle my first challenge. Tomorrow (Wednesday 04 May) I will leave for Bath, England and will be on my own until Friday when I meet up with my friend Paul in Liverpool. I guess we'll see how I do 3 days all by myself! Below are just a few pictures from my last couple days. I plan on uploading all of them on a photo site...maybe flickr?? If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!


Love to all, until next time :-)


AnnieBoo


''It is not down in any map; true places never are.''  ~Herman Melville


Loving this song right now! So perfect for where I'm at...Have a laugh and a smile  over it :-)

  

Heart Trees

So this is my first blog post ever. I am here because I am leaving tomorrow (today actually, it's past midnight) to begin a 3 month backpacking trek around Europe, and I would like to share my experiences with you along the way. I plan to keep this blog both open and honest; this is my one-time disclaimer to everyone that I do not plan to hold anything back here, so....brace yourself :-)


I would like to begin by sharing something I experienced that completely reality-checked my brain. That reality check is part of what has inspired my decision to travel this summer, and I pass the story on to you in hopes that hearing it will move you the way the experience moved me. So anyway, here we go...


About a year and a half ago, I was driving down Dekalb Ave. in Atlanta on my way to Little 5 Points from Decatur (for those of you that know the area). Dekalb Ave. is a road that will take you all the way into the city. On one side of the street is the Marta. On the other side, you'll find residential side streets and the occasional strip of hipster shops and eateries every few blocks. Dekalb Ave. is one of my two favorite roads in Atlanta -- the other is Ponce de Leon in case you were wondering. Both have saved my ass on numerous occasions, being the only two roads that I can get to anywhere from, if I can just find them.


So on this particular day driving down Dekalb Ave., I happened to notice a small grove of about 50 trees in a corner lot on one of the residential streets. I don't know how long it had been there or why I had never noticed it before, but on this day, the trees caught my eye for a very specific reason. Each tree in this lot had a black X painted on its trunk, about 5 feet up from the base. Now, sadly, I think I speak for all of us when I say we see this sort of thing all the time these days...and that corner lot was the perfect size for a house to be built, so I'm sure the city had (has) big plans for that lot...but there was something else. And that something else, was hearts. Big, red, hearts. Painted over each and every X, on every. single. tree.  The fact that someone was so appalled by the thought of 50 trees being cut down, that they took the time to paint a heart on top of each X had rendered me completely speechless. It was an act of silent protest that was quite possibly one of the single most tragically beautiful gestures I have ever witnessed. I really cannot find the words to describe how beautiful this haunting site was. For whatever reason, that lot called out to me. It was like I could feel the emotion of the person who painted the hearts, I could hear the trees begging to be spared, I could see the blatant demonstration of desperation. And all of it was just BEAUTIFUL to me. I don't know, I really don't think I can articulate how much this grove of heart trees just moved my soul and how these trees wrapped their branches around my very core.


Whoever did this is my hero. I was so moved by this person's wonderfully profound statement. To me, it was a work of art. I wanted to frame the sight as a reminder that there are still people out there who are passionate about, well...anything, in a world that I often feel is rapidly losing it's ability to feel. We are so numbed by what is "expected" of us - heaven forbid we ever set foot outside of that little box! But, let's not get me started on all that. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry to get my errands done that day, so I was unable to capture the sight. I promised myself to keep my camera in my bag so that I could stop and take a picture the next time I drove by, and everytime I came down Dekalb Ave. from that point forward, I looked for that lot.


For the next year, I probably drove by my lot of heart trees at least once every two weeks, if not more frequently. And I had my camera with me at all times. If I was with someone in the car, I would point it out to them. Each time I drove by, I would think about stopping, but at the last minute would find a reason not to. I had somewhere to be. The sun wasn't bright enough. It was cold. It was too hot. I had to get home. It was too dark. I needed gas for the car. I was on the phone. I was running late. I had someone with me who wouldn't want to stop (I must point out here that anytime I passed the lot with a companion in the car, I never once asked them if they minded me taking the detour). I was nervous someone would see me taking the picture and I'd be in some sort of trouble (This is how my mind works, I'm terribly insecure -- I deal with it, so you should too). There was too much traffic. It was raining. I just didn't have time today. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah. Again, I did this for over a year -- driving by, and every time thinking about how amazing and beautiful the lot was to me, but "I'll just get a picture next time I come by."


I never got that picture.


About two months ago, Patrick and I were riding down Dekalb Ave.; Although this was a route we both frequent, it had been a short while since I had actually come down that way. I was asking Patrick if he had ever seen the heart trees. He hadn't noticed them. I started telling him about the lot as we were approaching the side street and pointed as we crested the small hill, only to find that the lot was empty. My heart trees had been cut down. Nothing was left but a cluster of stumps and several decent sized logs pushed off to one edge of the lot. I cannot even describe how I felt in that moment. "Crushed" does not even cut it. My eyes welled up. I started rambling about my trees in utter disbelief that they were actually gone. I am pretty sure that if Pat didn't already question my sanity, he was doing so now. I don't know...I guess in some naive crevice of my mind I thought the hearts would have spared the trees...that the hearts would have moved the lumberjacks and the city as much as they had me. I was just so sad...and wildly disappointed. Sad that the trees were cut down, and disappointed in myself that in over a year, I could not take 30 seconds out of my day to pull my car over and take a damn picture of something I found beautiful. Like, really, how effing sad is that!?


Now, all of this may not seem like that big of a deal to you...in fact, it even seems a little silly to me when I think about the fact that I had a meltdown over these dang trees. But I think the moral of this story is painstakingly clear. We have to start taking the time to acknowledge things that are important to us when we have the chance. We have to start doing things that make us happy, instead of putting them off until a "better" time. Tell the people you love how much they truly mean to you. Take that picture. Go on that vacation. I was discussing my upcoming trip with a friend about 3 weeks ago who told me the story of a gentleman he worked with who had recently retired. The retiree had worked most of his life, not taking much time for anything else...because of his succes he was able to retire in his 50s and planned an extented trip overseas to do some much earned traveling. About a month ago, he was diagnosed with a terminal brain cancer and was given only months to live. He spent his whole life working and planning for the trip of a lifetime that he will never get to take. You just never know when you'll wake up one day and that moment to experience something you've always wanted will be gone. Annoyingly cliche, I know, but missing my opportunity to take that picture of something I found so moving and beautiful really taught me how true that is...even for a grove of heart trees.

Before I left Atlanta, I took a drive down Dekalb Ave., for the sole purpose of taking a couple pictures of what is now my [empty] heart tree lot, as a reminder to myself to always take the time to appreciate and enjoy what is important to me in my life. I am sharing these photos with you, in hopes that you will remember the same. By the time I actually took the photos, Spring had sprung and grass had covered most of the stumps, so it is not as dry, cracked and desolate as it looked when the trees were first cut down, but you still get the picture. I will probably never find heart trees anywhere else, but my hope is that I will see and experience so much more because of them, and what they represented to me.

And so I leave you here, to board my plane to Europe. To step outside my comfort zone, take the road less traveled, and get back to feeling like myself and find what truly makes me happy...and OWN THAT. The time is now, and I intend to embrace it. No more compromising my desires and needs. And I need this. I need to prove to myself that I can be true to myself and be proud of that truth. I need that for me. 

Peace, Love, & Blessings to you all...until next time!
~AnnieBoo 




*I will never post a blog without a quote & a song that relates to whatever I'm rambling about ;-)


"Spend the afternoon. You can't take it with you." --Annie Dillard

*Song of the Moment: "White Daisies Passing" by Rocky Votolato