My morning.

I will journal.

Today was fine. Funny word to describe a day.

We all live in these gardens, menageries of wonder. Behind every smile, every inquisitive eye, every coy and daring gesture, there is a world in need of exploration. This is why I love people. Why do we run from these worlds? We should embrace people. (Of course these worlds are gated; many have high walls. I believe, and curiosity would agree, that every wall should be scaled.)

This morning my eyes snapped open a minute before my alarm clock sounded. A funk still clouded my mind, but I remembered the importance of starting the day off right. First thoughts matter. I instantly turned my mind to happy thoughts and smiled. I stretched my arms and legs and laid in bed for a few minutes, my mind blank and wandering. I gazed through the slits in the blinds. White cotton clouds drifted slowly across the brilliant azure sky. Birds lilted amongst each other. A morning breeze gently pushed its way into the room. The smell of summer.

I got up and took my five minute shower. I barely remember showers nowadays. They use to be so enjoyable too; a time to think and relax. Now its a mechanical habit.

I pulled on a pair of khakis, a blue polo and packed up my school books. To assuage the hunger pangs I stopped at the munchie mart and grabbed some ‘Naked Juice’, a bottle of water, and a kashi cereal bar.

The day was warm. The trees were lush and waving gently back and forth in the breeze. A moisture hung in the air from the last nights rainfall. Traffic buzzed by in my periphery. I walked briskly down the main road while reading the new york times and the associated press daily news on my Iphone: ‘Obama slams financial sector’, ‘Greece debt worse than expected’, ‘Iran visits mozambique’, etc.

I remembered how I loathed our disconnected culture. I despised how preoccupied we’ve become as we drown ourselves in information. This invasion of space pollutes our mind and displaces the now. I placed the Iphone in my pocket and began looking around me with new eyes.

I passed a Chinese woman and a black man waiting at the bus stop. Plastic bags were huddled by their feet. Two girls jogged passed me, chit chatting about dramatic happenings. I arrived at the street corner across from work. A man came up to me. His voice pierced my marveling reflections, "do you have some money for food?"

On his dark and weathered complexion sat two jaundice eyes that seemed to plead, to beg. His black beard was long and weaved with streaks of gray. Layers of shirts and coats hung loosely to his frail frame. I stolidly replied, "I’m sorry man, I don’t have any money", and turned away. The crosswalk signal turned green and I continued along. As I walked, I stared into my palms where I was holding food. Food. My mind briefly began rationalizing my actions… then I forgot about him.

At work I was feeling particularly energetic. My anxiety was almost non-existent. I didn’t feel like I was trying, or being anything I didn’t want to be.

Anyway…

I didn’t go out tonight. Instead I stayed in and read. Read and talked with a friend. I expressed my discontents and he listened. Then we exchanged roles. It felt good.

Practice kindness. Find that genuine eagerness to see the best in others. Be proud of them. Let people impress you.