That Human Connection

I’m connected to humans that never cease to inspire me. They’re as close as the bedroom across the hall; the sweaty sidewalks of Suri Salcedo park; the always loud, always energetic SENA centers and as far as the streets of NYC; the café con leche-and-tortilla serving cafés of Madrid; the places I feel at home in the Garden State; the largest city in the PNW; the all boys classrooms in Gumi, South Korea; the Texan city proud of staying weird; and the underwater world in the Gulf of Thailand.

The definition of human connection has changed drastically in today’s digital, hyper connected world. You do not have to be physically close to others to feel connected to them, to be constantly in communication with them, and to even have the pleasure of seeing their face and entering their world through iPhone-to-iPhone video calls. Just this past week I saw faces in New Jersey, South Korea, Thailand and Seattle.

More so than being digitally connected to others across the world, I’ve been feeling pretty damn inspired by their own respective paths. From a fresh-outta-college offer in the Big Apple to a new job at Boeing to a paradise resort receptionist gig on a Thai island to new-and-exciting changes at API, my humans truly amaze me. When I woke up to lots of big news this week I couldn’t help but feel that rush of adrenaline I felt when I accepted my teaching placement in Barranquilla.
Mutual inspiration is where it’s at. Developing and maintaining those relationships that get my heart pumping, my mind racing and my feet dancing is what’s important to me.

I am so grateful to be able to message, talk and video chat with the people I love and admire. It keeps me humble, and it keeps me going. Cassie’s last text to me before hopping on a one-way flight (well, a few flights and other forms of transportation) to Koh Tao, Thailand was: “Boarding. I love you. You inspire me to be free. I’ll contact you from the future. Xoxoxo.” I warned her that I’d have wise things to say before she set off to Asia, but our last FaceTime call was roughly 85% gasps and screams. I felt like I was boarding those three flights, hopping on that ferry and checking into a bungalow with her. It’s an adrenaline-pumping risk. It’s a chance at making your own way because you were determined, you were dedicated, and you made it happen. My go-out-into-this-world send-off message to Cassie was: “Go take life by the balls.” Though it’s not the most eloquent message I’ve ever sent, it communicated my sage advice pretty clearly: You are free to choose the when, where, how, why, and who of your life, so get out there and go after whatever it is that may be.