![]() |
| bachelor of arts in international business, with a mural i did also. |
This song by Jesse Cook holds a significance for me. When I was leaving Spain, I got on a bus from Malaga to Madrid late at night. Everyone was gone by that point, and it was just me in Malaga, all alone again to reflect a few days after everyone else left and spend Christmas there. But I remember this song playing on my ipad when I left the bus station in Malaga. I cried because I wasnt sure if I wanted to leave or what. i didnt know how to feel but this song sure helped me express it. Now that I was on a plane above Minnesota, the song came on again. I realized that I dont know how to feel again, now that I am departing my hometown, my homestate and my home country. I feel like its an out of body experience, like all this has just been setup and now I have to do it. Its like god books the tickets and gets me here and there, and i dont even realize it until after, or til im alone with too much time. I really dont know how to feel, i dont know what will happen. When i left spain, i knew i had a beautiful girl to go back to, a house, i knew I could go back and finish school. Now its like, what am I doing? This song really helps express how I feel right now.
Well, I wish I had time to have enjoyed and soaked up my weekend. Things have been so chaotic, but for a beautiful reason, these past few days. I graduated on Saturday with a bachelor of arts in international business, first in my family. I received so much amazing and wonderful feedback from people I have known forever or haven't even known, but were inspired by my journeys. Saturday flew so fast, I was up at 5 am, for 24 hours straight til the next day Sunday. The ceremony was beautiful and very inspiring to me and I feel like I soaked up some good things from the guest speakers and such. The best thing about Saturday, was a new plateau was reached, a new rung at the top of the ladder made. Now people can reach higher, and know that anybody, even a kid born with not much, who went through hell as a teen and almost lost himself can do whatever the hell they want with a good combination of faith in self, in god, and in the world. I have been so blessed beyond so many levels. After the ceremony, I made it a point to hang out with everybody that I loved and everyone that loved me. So many extraordinary people have been involved to help me reach the little level of success that I have. But to me, the journey has just begun. Although graduating was certainly hard, its not the hardest part. Its applying all that knowledge.Saturday was a blur of success, achievement and good times with family and friends for all to enjoy.
Sunday was a day of reflection and a day of gathering for me. April 28,2001 was when my mom died, I was 13. I shouldn't explain my profound connection with my mom that was abruptly taken so fast, but it was certainly an emotional day for me all around. I tried running around and getting everything situated while trying to spend the last few moments with those who I cherish in my life so closely and dearly. By the time it was 4 or 5, I was getting frustrated because I had not made it to the cemetery to see my mom one more time. I didn't even wake up until about 11 and I knew I was leaving early Monday morning so my time had already been bleeding away so fast. I felt like I was running out of time, like I didn't feel everything I wanted to feel. Like I didnt say bye and thanks to everyone. There was so much more I wanted to do, and I know other people wanted to do things with me like dinner and things. Time ran out. I did however make time with my best friends, my brothers, my sister and the little fam i had. what matters the most to me, is i provided my family with hope and inspiration. I got them together for a good cause finally, rather than a funeral, or to drink or anything like that. Through all the hate, through all the past, through all the grudges and all the bullshit, my little family pulled it together this weekend for me and i cant tell you the profound effect it had on me to be able to make people proud. I did make it to the cemetery and it was definitely hard. I wanted to cry, but I knew she would want me to be strong, and determined. I took a few pics and me and my brothers left. I spent a little while longer with them, as the sand in the top half of the glass disappeared on me.
I didn't have enough time for anything pretty much and now I feel like I rushed myself too much. Im sitting here at JFK airport in NY all alone and my flight doesn't leave til 5 tomorrow. I don't know. I missed my original flight in albuquerque and had to rebook, so right away, I almost wanted to say screw it. I had a car, a house, was just getting closer to my fam n friends, a bachelors degree now, and a great little town to live in. But no, I let my emotions get in the way and i forced myself out quicker than I would have liked.
God, however, has a funny way of making his presence felt in your life if you pay attention. Today, my first flight to St Paul, I think I crossed paths with one of those angels you coincidentally run into in life. I was sitting there reading my book about the camino de santiago, and a humble man asked me if I was doing it. So we got into a great conversation, and he informed me of his travels pretty much throughout all of Spain and some of the wonderful experiences he had. He wrestled a bull by the horns, literally, in the Basque country. took life by the horns, and had some fun doing it. He said he really desired to do the camino and I truly encouraged him. we even started speaking some of that European dialect of Castillano, which i need to get used to again. I gave him my blogger address and do hope he keeps up and perhaps maybe keep in touch. It is truly a pleasure to cross paths with great people like that, I even got his card, it was another example of god crossing paths for people. I am not even in Spain yet and made a connection.
On another note, it is 2 am here on the east. I am chilling here at JFK airport, by myself. I got to tell you, I am going to have to be strong. This trip is already different than my first trip to Europe. I know I am not alone and the world is there to help me, but its so hard to just wander across the planet by yourself. Especially with all the crap on my mind, from mistakes ive made that led to me not being married right now like i should be and want to be, like my future, like what im gonna do when I get there. I just knew that I wanted to run away from Durango, to get away. I scheduled it so that I would graduate on the 27th, my moms 12th year being gone was the 28th, and then I thought Id be ready to just leave the day after, now the 29th. Well, while i was up in the clouds all day, I sure had some time to think. I don't have a job, I have 800 bucks to last me til whenever and a flight back is 500. so that math there will let ya know. But I think if I really wanted to come back sooner than I anticipated, my family and friends perhaps could help me make that happen. Its no easy task just venturing off out into the world by yourself. But its a choice I made and now im on the other side of the country, waiting to fly across this ocean, to another country tomorrow. For all the preaching I do to people to be patient and plan everything and not make decisions based off negative emotions, I sure have been a hypocrite on this occasion. Reading this novel I have about the camino makes me just want to go do the camino and then maybe go back home to find a job. What I will do for sure is apply online for what I can while in Malaga and just take some time up there to relax and clear my head and thoughts and really figure out what I want to do in life. This is it now, its no joke. So I will apply for an advisor position at FLC and hope I get it. If not, maybe god will help me run into more people along this journey that can help with that aspect. I haven't even left the country yet and I feel homesick. Oh well, I have to be strong and fulfill this destiny. change is never easy, i dont care how big and bad one might think he is.
I will do the camino, that is for sure. How much of it, I am not currently sure. If funds allow me to, id like to do the whole thing from st jean pied de port, but I dont want any fellow pilgrims having to help me out with food or shelter or anything like that. So I will figure it out when i get to Malaga. I can always start in Pamplona or Sarria and get my Pilgrim passport. Its up to god, I hope he gives me the strength and determination to not be swayed by anything. not depression, not anger, not homesickness, nothing. I need to be strong because I am now an example for others that may want to keep up with my story.
Well, hopefully I can go check out new york for a min tomorrow if the taxi isn't too expensive or I can find a cheap shuttle downtown and back to JFK. maybe that will ease up my mind a little. I can't tell you how many times it felt like i had an apple in my throat these last few days, holding back from just balling hard. There is so much happiness, and sadness, and accomplishment, and depression, and loneliness, and aliveness and inspiration and other things that have just fell upon me so hard these last few days.
Oh well, regardless, I am going to get my pilgrims passport and have a little fun. May god guide me in the right direction, may st michael the archangel protect me from the evil here on earth, and may I be smart and determined and strong enough to make it through. wish me luck guys, I am doing this for a purpose beyond myself now. I hope you enjoyed this post, and I will post another once I get to Malaga. I have to get some sleep on this awesome cold granite floor in this massive empty and eerily quiet place. and be ready for the chaos soon to come in a few hours. I appreciate you reading this. I hope to provide you with a live story that you can follow. There is some drama, some suspense, and perhaps even a love story in there as I travel into the great unknown. Perfect recipe for your typical movie or book. But this is 100% real, realtime. Wish me luck people, take care and until next time, buen camino a vosotros and god be with you. goodnight.





