Dear World, Embrace the Journey

Day #5: Ekphrasis Post. Go to flickr.com/explore and write a post inspired by the image. Can you link it to your health focus? Don’t forget to post the image!

Today is the first day that I am "bending" from the original prompt. When I went on Flickr.com/explore, there wasn't anything that "spoke to me" and inspired me to write. However, this picture that was taken of me last week does. It was taken during one of the most painful moments last week, and I hope it can serve as an inspiration to others.  

Last week our school programming board brought Dear World to our campus. This was started by  Robert X. Fogarty after Hurricane Katrina, and was a way for individuals to write a love note to the City of New Orleans after nearly losing everything.


Over time the organization has evolved into Dear World, and is an opportunity for  individuals to share their message with friends, family, and strangers. During the day our campus had the opportunity to participate in a photo shoot, and at night Robert gave a presentation where he talked about the many inspirational people that he met as a result of starting Dear World. It was such a powerful presentation, and is something that I will never forget.


"There are so many phrases that I could of chosen to write on my arm, but I chose the one that has allowed me to get through the most difficult of times, and the phrase that inspired me to start Embrace G-free"

Ironically, as I was preparing this post someone asked me, "What does the phrase Embrace the Journey mean to you?" This was the first time that I really articulated what this statement really meant. It made me think, reflect, and inspired me to include a poem in this post. 

A Phrase With So Much Meaning 


To some people 
"Embrace the Journey" 
May be a silly cliche
They may think 
How can I embrace every moment of life? 
Simply put
Life is not a straight path 
It's full of
Really big highs 
Difficult lows
And all those moments in between 


My life has been full of challenges  
It's not always easy 
But this statement is about coping 
Embracing and enjoying all the highs 
Moments where I simply feel good 


But during the time when a high 
Becomes a low 
This saying takes on a new meaning
I look for what will get me through the moment
Because during the difficult times 
The simple things matter the most 
Making the low a little easier


Choosing to Embrace the journey 
Doesn't mean that everything will be OK
Or perfect all the time 
It's about acknowledging 
There will be progress
And there will be setbacks 
It's about finding a balance 
Allowing myself to experience life in the moment
Whether it be good or bad 
It's about accepting 
Allowing myself to feel
The emotions that make me vulnerable 
And gaining comfort
Knowing
I have the strength 
To get through all the curves
Life throws at me. 
4.2.12

Dear World, 

Embrace the Journey