from the clouds

So there is this little pool, about five minutes from our dorms. It gets closed around 5 PM and then completely abandoned. It's enclosed by a wire fence, and tucked behind some tennis courts and a little building. It's barely lit up by the street lights, and basically, it's completely secluded.

You got it, we walked (barefoot) over there, climbed the fence, stripped down, and bailed in that pool tonight.

Moving here has been the most freeing thing I have ever done. I would never have done stuff like night swimming back home. It was always: be home by this time, you can't do that, because that's "bad", guilt trip, guilt trip, you can't do that because you won't fit in, don't do this, don't do that, blah blah BLAH. I had to act perfect for my relationship, my "reputation", my parents, etc. and it was always about pleasing everyone, never about doing what pleased me. Now I just don't have to play the games anymore. I wake up, and I'm like Jess, what do you want to do today? How do you want to treat people and how do you want to think? How do you want to live your life?

The really great thing, is now I have a friend who happens to want to do all of the crazy things I think about doing, too. Night swimming? He's really the one who suggested it. After our lab today, we were on the roof talking, saw the pool, looked at each other and both thought of doing it at the same time. This is also the friend who I spontaneously went swimming in Waikiki with, and who is basically always on the same wavelength as me. Instead of limiting me, every time I get some idea of something I want to do, he's always behind it, 100%, never doubting me, and always making it much more enjoyable. But you don't even need a friend to do the things you love. Even if it's alone, you should really try following up on those little ideas that pop into your head--those things you want to do.

STRAIGHT from the clouds--such good words, Jack!