After a few days here I stop fighting for my space, because I am not going to find much room here. I guess this is why buildings start as deep under the earth as vine roots reach and rise tall above any trees, lifting up. Seeking space where the world allows you to grow.
Running in the early morning light is said to cure all struggles. It's as if rising with the sun makes the world seem more promising, amazing what warmth and light can do. I withheld the morning croissant and coffee session in order to remind myself of my deeper appreciation for discipline! It feels right- waking up and putting a sports bra and running shoes on. I take off...
Today, I saw BsAs in a brighter light. First, when you are running, everyone moves out of YOUR way on the sidewalks! (In the past few days I did learn that keeping your eyes averted and pretending as if you don’t see the on-coming human, they will move a little too. But when you are running- they completely move. Maybe because I look like a freak- all blond haired and jogging through the streets of downtown…) I keep my eyes on the ground in front of me regardless of who is moving for who because you need to be on major dog poop watch. Today I see that in the early morning you can catch many dog walkers, men holding a ball of 5-12 leashes with well-behaved dogs of all size and styles leading his stride. It is awesome to see and I will get a photo before I leave. Witnessing this, and all the poop doesn’t seem so bad.
Originally, the towering colonial facades of apartments and shops felt like a fence, pinning me in to a playground of consumption. Now, as a voyeur, I can appreciate their unique beauty. The disheveled sidewalks that make this city look a bit unkempt, but the trees planted every few meters are a great effort and seem to be breadcrumbs on the trail to BsAs’ enormous plots of green right in the middle of the city- proving everyone’s need to connect with some nature. This is where I am heading- to the green. The first park I hit from the hostel holds this enromous piece of public art called Floralis Generica. It is a giant aluminum flower that blooms at dawm and closes at dusk. Standing 75 feet tall and 105 feet wide, weighing 18 tons- it's real cool. I have no idea why I am drawn to this, maybe the idea of taking something naturally beautiful and reconstructing it to a gross size with an unnatural material... but it still has life, as the sun rotates it changes every few minutes in the different light.
A few sun salutations, smiling because what else can you do?! Then I turn back around, driven by the desire for coffee :) The kiddos are heading to school, wearing uniform smocks and pulling their backpacks on wheels behind them. This is the only world they know, and they laugh their way through it. And nothing is more precious than children’s laughter!
Maybe it’s the run, the endorphins moving through my brain and the blood pushing through my veins and heart. Maybe it’s the morning, the day is full of potential and the sun has just begun to warm this side of the earth. Maybe it is my attitude, finding light and space in a new place sometimes just takes some time and awareness. Whatever it is, BsAs is starting to grow on me. I can now understand that the man driving the car that almost hit the little boy crossing the street, once was that little boy. We are creations of our environment, but we are powerful creatures who can control our perspective on that environment. It’s all pretty amazing.
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