In My Place

"In my place, in my place, were lines that I couldn't change..."

- Coldplay

Def: serenity- the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled
or
Serenity- a title given to a reigning prince or similar dignity. ex: Your Serenity, His Serenity.

Interesting. Obviously I'll go with the first definition, but I feel like a person would have to exude an impressive calm and peaceful persona before I'd call them "Your Serenity". But honestly, isn't this a quality that you would love to have? To be known as the calm, peaceful and untroubled dude/lady? People would just love to be around you in hope that your essence of "calm" rubs off on them.

Cynically, I do not believe that this state of being completely serene exists, at least not on this side of heaven. But more optimistically, I think that we can (and should) experience moments of serenity, and more often than we allow ourselves to. I have this weird delusion that if I am not stressing out or worried about something, then there is something I MUST NOT be doing. Luckily..., hopefully, most normal people have a balance between being stressed versus not being stressed.

I think that we can experience moments of serenity in many different kinds of places. For me, usually it is at your typical hipster coffee shop. I think that this is mostly because I feel really cool in these kinds of places. But also because, for me, the coffee shop is a great place to go if one needs to get stuff done. "Stuff" includes: reading for fun, studying, homework, facebooking, and catching up with friends, among other things. Usually when I leave a coffee shop I feel calm, peaceful, and untroubled. Then I get back to my room and I am suddenly reminded that I still have a lot of crap left to do. But that's not the point- the point is that I still feel a sense of being at peace when I am in the middle of my visit to the coffee shop. Especially when I am just about to cross off something else on my to do list. You list makers know what I am talking about- the awesome sensation felt when you cross something off of your list, like "YES!! I've been waiting for this moment!!"- it's pretty much amazing. Sometimes I put things like "showering" and "wake up" on my list just so I can feel great about crossing something off.

Anyway, there it is, a coffee shop bringing sanity and serenity. Weird? Some know exactly where I am coming from. For others, a noisy, cramp, dim-lit, $5 dollar- a -day habit would drive them into the arms of stress and despair. Totally understood. The hipster coffee shop experience isn't for everyone.

Coming home feels like I have to re-establish my self in the places around here. So naturally I began the search for another  place to bring upon moments of serenity and accomplishment. Last summer I found this really awesome place! I had an internship in Ann Arbor and somedays after work I would go down to the Huron River, sit, and relax at one of the picnic tables close by. Being by the river is so beautiful, vibrant, and unbothered. I don't think that I can really describe it. Sometimes when I think and talk about different places in nature, I find that typical words like "beautiful"and "vibrant" are so lacking. Sometimes you just have to be there. So I was there.  A few times a week I would go; it was just one of those places that I've experienced some peaceful and wonderful moments. Like God sent me down there because those moments would be felt.

Back to this concept of serenity, defined as a "state of being...", because we are humans and are constantly changing, as awesome as pure serenity sounds, it never lasts. This world won't let it and we ourselves won't let it either. Sooner or later all of our issues come flooding back into our minds and we are back in freak-out mode, frustrated mode or I don't give a crap mode... etc. This doesn't mean that we still shouldn't take the time out to breathe, and focus on something other than ourselves - it's good for us.  If you can't change some things, try to enjoy other things. Really, from a mental health perspective, its good for you to take a moment away from your own thoughts. It's not a profound concept, and it's been said before in some self-help book probably.... but the reminder is nice- so take it to heart. :)