Constraint vs. Freedom

"A healthy being welcomes constraint and freedom, the boundlessness of space an the exposure of space" - Yi-Fu Tuan

This quote really struck me today, and though I may not have the same interpretation as others, it means a lot to me.
It's something I’ve been struggling with lately… How much is too much when it comes to being “limitless” and expanding your horizons? Yes, it’s a noble cause, but should you violently reject all that makes you feel safe and comfortable for the sake of trying to find… what exactly?

When I go back to California, I feel safe, comfortable, and pretty much like I belong. More recently I have become scared that by going back, I will never want to leave and let myself explore the rest of the world. For that reason, I had the intention of not coming back for a long time. Long enough for myself to become comfortable somewhere else, so I would not be tempted to go back to California and stay there.

More recently, I’ve realized you can have both, and that it’s just a matter of being responsible. I believe that human beings should allow themselves to expand and learn and grow, and that it creates a healthy, strong, and independent brain. But at the same time, have someplace you can call home. Home doesn’t have to tie you down, but instead acts as a spring board for bigger and better things.

So go out of your comfort zone, try new things, visit new countries, read books and try new ideas on for size. You are free. But at the same time, have a home that reminds you of your beginnings… if anything, a place where you can come back to and see how much you’ve grown since then.

Sunsets

When you’re driving home from work, or sitting on your back porch in the evening, how do you feel? As you watch the sky fade from blue to pink to orange to red then dark blue, do you sit there and gauge how successful the day has been, or revel in the beauty?

Neither one is supposed to be a correct answer as to how you should feel. Please, don’t let me tell you that one is better than the other. But just think for a moment, what is your general attitude to this beautiful daily occurrence?

Now fast forward a several decades, and your time is coming to an end. You’ve reached your very own sunset. How do you feel? Do you think back on everything that you’ve accomplished, or do you still marvel at the latest birth in the new family, the beginning of a new life that will far outlast your own?

Again, neither is right or wrong. But you can’t deny that there is a connection.