Today's Further Reflections & Events

Korrin B.

August 9, 2009 - 10:00 PM

I found myself deep in thought tonight. My three coworkers and I set out around 7:00pm to find some dinner. We ended up wandering until we were at Times Square. It was so bright with lights and packed with people. As I stared up at the flashing advertisements and the New Year's Eve ball, it felt surreal. It looked like I had stepped out of reality and into some movie. It was weird coming to the realization that this place really is, well, real.

We ended up finding this little Cuban restaurant up the street from Times Square. It was perfect. There happened to be a live Latin band playing and I smiled while listening to their music and ordering paella. The food was delicious. It was nice to have something different than we have been having.

Towards the end of the night though, the Latin band started to play a song that was different than the one's it had been playing. The chords turned to a melancholy tone and although I couldn't understand what they were saying, I knew the song was about lost love, heartbreak, and life's questions. I began to think about my life and although I was so content in my present moment, I thought about home and the people there. I realized a sadness hanging from my heart.

I am destined to travel the world, to wander. The hard part, however, is finding a sense of home within that. Where is that cozy comfort? How do I take it with me when I am not actually being a part of it? Every time I go home, it is so different and feels so non-inclusive of me sometimes. The life of a college student is one of constant transition. I want to take what I learn from my travels and then find it back home amongst my Californian family and my beloved Eugene friends. The feeling I get when I'm traveling has to be hidden there somewhere.

Isn't it amazing how one simple song can start you off on a night of existential angst?

P.S. I [still] love NY.