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Raspberry lemon

Forbidden relationship

But I can't stop now

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I've learnt quite a bit about myself over this past year. One of the biggest lessons being that nobody is ever truly a complete person. Accepting this has helped me a lot as its resulted in me being more lenient with myself, and not putting those around me on pedestals.

I picked up reading this year, and that has easily been one of the best things I've done for myself in recent memory. A few friends have suggested audiobooks if I want to consume faster, but something about finding a coffee shop to sit alone in and read with my headphones on - out of the house and in my own world - is just unrivalled. Though, the staff at my usual one is starting to know me by name (whoops!).

The first book I read - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig - was actually recommended to me by a classmate, who since finishing it I've reached out to to thank. The recommendation came during a discussion we had while we trekked through a foot of snow after a Philosophy class this past January. I think the conversation stemmed from me asking about a DND home-brew game I'd seen him prepping before the class, but once we got on the topic of this book he gave me such a phenomenal review that I made a stop on my way home to pick up my own copy to read.

Much of that book has stuck with me since reading it, however there are two parts I consistently find myself flipping back to even after finishing the book. The first is on page 22 when the author discusses a leaky faucet in his friends house. The author concludes the faucets dripping must not affect his friends (John and Sylvia), but this is later proven to be false when he sees Sylvia react harsher than necessary in a situation, and realizes the dripping faucets existence - which she'd refused to acknowledge - was impacting her day to day life. John had initially tried to fix the faucet and failed, however his refusal to ask for help when the task proved to be too much for him allowed for the issue to grow into a larger one which then impacted not only himself but those around him as well. This section highlighted to me the importance of tackling issues in ones life as they arise, as had John swallowed his pride and sought help the minor inconvenience would not have existed to act as fuel and harm either himself or those around him down the line.

The second part I consistently return to is on page 55, when the group on their motorcycle journey descends on the prairie. Sylvia remarks how beautiful the scenery is, and John retrieves his camera to take some photos, which he then complains cannot capture the beauty. Specifically, John notes that "As soon as you put a border on it, it's gone". I appreciate this section because it reminds me the importance of living in the moment before trying to capture it. I've taken some amazing photos, but I'll never feel the same looking at them as I did when I captured them.

If I recounted every moment in that book which I appreciated (I've got over 50 individual tabs in the book), I worry I'd plagiarize virtually the entire thing, and probably spoil it for those who haven't read it. That said, looking at all the tabs I placed in that book it's no wonder it impacted me so strongly, and why I've returned to it so often.

Song of the day: I'm Still Standing - Elton John