Labor Day weekend has finally come, and with it came the closing ceremonies of summer 2017. Summer has always been my favorite time of year, and I'm normally pretty miffed about the notion of having to face several months of cold. However, with the bombardment of heatwaves that hit California this year, and the nonstop media coverage of racial and governmental turmoil, this summer has felt particularly long, and I for one am glad to see it go. Normally during Labor Day weekend I'd go over to someone's house and enjoy a few bites of ribs, but this year a few of my friends decided to fly up to San Francisco from LA, and with it being about an hour and a half away from me, I decided to drive up and meet them for a day of touristy indulgence.
I've been in the Nor Cal area since 2013, and must painfully admit to not really taking advantage of SF's close proximity, but believe me when I say it's a mistake I will no longer be making. Venturing into "The City" is taking a step into world wholly different than anything you will experience. Between the eclectic and diverse nature of its residence, the architecture, and the busy yet relaxed flow of the city, SF illicit's a tone unlike any other you will ever experience. Though it would be unfair to compare the two, as a LA boy, I feel completely at home whenever I visit SF, or its neighbor across the bridge Oakland. The Bay Area as a whole blends history, culture, and art in a way that fosters the creative, and made the perfect escape for a day of exploring.
The day was chockfull of good things, as my friends and I hit up Chinatown, Pier 39, and of course traveled across the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a day that left me physically exhausted in the best way possible. However, the best was yet to come, as my LA friends met up with my Bay Area friends for a night of drunken dancing at a tiny dive bar in the Mission District. The bar was seriously cramped, and I'm more than positive the maximum occupancy was beyond that dictated by the fire code. The music was deafening, and there was no A/C to speak of, minus a solitary fan which I took residence by for the remainder of the night. It was hot as hell, loud as hell, and made me perspire more than I would've liked. It was exactly what I needed.
Heatwaves and societal issues aside, this summer was personally one of my most stressful. Between running back and forth between two jobs, there were days where I'd leave the house at 6am, and wouldn't see my bed until 9 o'clock that night. I completely neglected myself to the point I developed a 103 degree fever that kept me in the hospital for two nights straight! Spending those nights alone in ER as I waited for my results to come back was undoubtedly one of the worst experiences of my life. Thankfully I was able to leave with a clean bill of health, but it really forced me to re-examine exactly what it was I was working towards, because if it meant spending nights at Kaiser then you could count me out dog.
One thing I knew for sure, was that I was overworked. I mean my self-care had taken a nosedive to the point I was forced to take an involuntary vacation in the hospital. If nothing alerts you to the fact you there are some serious life-changes that need to happen, it's a health scare, so I decided to make a pact with myself. I decided that once a month, no matter how chaotic my life was, that I'd take at least a full day to myself. I know it's not exactly revolutionary, but you have to understand that for me, finding time to release had become a luxury. There had been times where I'd work weeks on end without a single day off, and while I certainly needed the money, what good did it do me if I can't even enjoy the meager fruits of my labor? I can't live that way. No one should live that way. Though your 20s come with their fair share of struggles, they're meant to be enjoyed. This is the only time our lives where we are allowed this brand of freedom, because even though life doesn't end after 29, it certainly doesn't lend itself to us in the same exact way. Escaping to San Francisco allowed me a moment to just be, a practice I've tried to implement more as I dive deeper into meditation. Laughing with my friends as I ate fish&chips in a totally different city is an experience I can never replicate, and I wouldn't dare try.
Turning 25 this past summer has shown me just how fleeting moments can be, and it was the fear that I might miss out on more which stirred my call to action. Too often have I found myself pissed at a missed opportunity all in the name of waiting for the right moment. While there are certainly ideal moments, sometimes you just have to take what life gives you and make the most of it. You can't simply wait around for the perfect moment to come. Often times, it's up to you to create it. More than anything, though, this summer granted me true perspective. Stepping into my mid-20s reminded me that life never stops moving, and in spite of whatever your original plans were, the universe will grant you so much more if you lend yourself to it. So, as I close this chapter of Summer, I do so with optimism and enthusiasm, and with the confidence that the best is yet to come. I'm not sure what my next moment will be, but rest assured it will just as treasured as my last.