Chasing Ideals

Finally back to the writing board. It only took not one but two intercontinental journeys to accomplish the task. Iīm sitting here staring down a delivered pizza, legless (in the literal, can hardly feel them sense), and pondering how in the world one such as I can leave home and family now three times and once again enter a new world 1000 miles from any I have ever known. In the midst of these ponderings, Portugeuse key words and phrases are fighting for precious memory betwixt the neurons. Sao Pauloīs finest four cheese is quickly losing its steamy goodness. The sense of an incredible loss is lurking somewhere in the recesses of my heart but for fear of completely overwhelming my emotions it remains for now only as a sense. What breed of lunatic inflicts such pain upon their heart. To have spent two months in such intense relationship with family and friends only to once again say goodbye. Now South America side to open the door for new depth of relationship with old friends and pave the way for new ones. Donīt I realize I have just four weeks before the "adieu's" begin again. 'Tis pure madness. Only one who knows that there are some purposes bigger that what is seen and stronger than current emotions would dare risk the pain of loss once more. One who has known and is again experiencing the joy and wonder of friendship.

It should be noted that the above was written some days ago but it has taken until now to be able to post anything. And what should I say about my first two weeks on a continent I have never before known. To summarize it has been a time of sweet relief. I had not known how exhausted I was after the physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining nature of the time in Phoenix. The time there was filled with absolutely priceless moments but two months of continuous intensity is not quickly recovered from. The attitude of my friends here in Brazil and the relaxed nature of the culture have combined to allow for much needed rest in the midst of incredible enjoyment.

My first week was spent exploring Sao Paulo, the heart of Brazil. A mammoth of a city with an incredible diversity of regions. Carla (all people mentioned from my time here I met two years ago in Poland and later traveled with to Lithuania) and at times her family made every effort to see that I witnessed as much of this diversity as possible. We wandered push-and-shove type crowded shopping streets, walked neighborhoods crammed with small colorful houses tightly packed, relaxed in what is apparently the largest of public parks in Latin America, and consumed a quantity of rice and beans (cuisine choices have not changed much) throughout those days that my body might have shuddered to receive previously. It was the start of my realization that rest was entirely necessary and my body willingly complied. Mornings never seemed so short as I could hardly drag myself from my humidity shrouded slumber and evenings of leglessnesses (including the aforementioned involving the four cheese) were never so profoundly felt. Perhaps the mental exhaustion contributed to my half hearted acceptance of warnings to keep my belongings suspiciously close to my body at all times and to attempt a constant vigilance of the surroundings. Thankfully my valiant guide kept watch over me in the hen and chick style so there was little to worry about. Apart from one situation where I squashed a fellow's fingers against his salesman's stall (the squashing being followed by a pronounced gutteral roar of a few syllables which I'm sure would make someone who understood the lingo blush) and another in which our bus driver was performing speed trials and hurtled my body into the gentle arms of an old man, our wanderings of the giant city would aptly been given the double thumbs up (this being a frequent gesture made by the locals).

I am no longer now in Sao Paulo and have much to say about the last week but for now the exhaustion continues and for today I must retire. Tomorrow I am heading further north on an 13 hour bus extraveganza to visit others of my precious friends. It is nice to write again after such a time. I hope the period of silence has not been too profoundly felt.