I’m leaving on a jet plane
Have you ever felt those moments in life that seems like benchmarks? Not that there is anything crazy happening in the moment, just all of a sudden you feel a shift in yourself. Like you feel yourself grow up?
Well, that is how I am feeling right now. I am sitting in the airport in Vancouver, BC waiting to board onto my flight to Prague and I just feel different. I feel more responsible, more mature. I guess more me.
This is an experience I have had before, one I treasure, where I find I settle into myself a little bit more. I have spent the last 8 days doing an amazing course that is essentially an unbelievable workout for my introspective self. And although my heart and mind are tired and sore from using them so much, I feel the blood rushing to both in a way I have never before felt.
I am overwhelmed with gratitude for learning, growth, and just human beings in general. Why am I here? I have no real clue. But to exercise each minute with as much presence and joy as possible will be a good place to start exploring. I am amazed by what we can build and develop within ourselves when we are gifted with the aid of thoughtfulness and study. Last week I saw the Dalai Lama speak and I was inspired to look at what I believe a teacher is. The conclusion I came to is that we are all teachers, teaching in every moment. But there are some special people who seek to dedicate their lives to teaching and upholding peace and humanity above all else. I have numerous friends like this in my life now, and hearing the words of the Dalai Lama and really digging deep to explore me, where I come from and where I am going I am able to identify the definitive moments in my teacher/student relationships in a way that is so very moving.
I am grateful for compassion, communication, patience and evolution. I hope to one day be as much of a teacher to another as my teachers have been to me.
And that being said, my row has been called 
ciao for now.
xo
a
Tags: dalai lama, introspection, travel
Bravery in Art
Last night I saw such a beautiful exemplification of bravery that I had not ever recognized before.
I was in the audience of a play comprised of 3 one-person shows. The courage one must have to believe they can tell a story, honestly, for 20 minutes to a group of strangers is so honorable and beautiful.
I am so moved by people expressing. To me there is something so extraordinary about our capacity as human beings to translate experience and emotion.
I feel like it is one of the major things that sets us apart from animals: Our capacity, and reason for creating simply to create. To communicate with something other than a conversation, or to communicate something so potent it inspires depth and introspection which than effects all conversation.
Amazing.
So here is a nice little philosophical question for you:
What is art?
xo
allison
Tags: Acting, art, conversation, expression, inspiration, introspection, play
