Eat, Pray, Love.... yes please!!!

My family has been nagging me on my lack of blogging lately.. this should be an interesting one for ya'll. Tonight... well more this weekend, I decided to take some chill/me time. Kaitland decided to go home for a quick trip this weekend, so I had the room to myself. While I was in Korea, I gained a great respect for meditation/alone time. I will admit, it sometimes is not a good thing as I tend to push people away or alienate myself every now and then. I love being alone at times though. I love sitting in my room, on a park bench, in a garden, or go for a walk and just let my mind go wild. During this time, I'm able to reflect on many things... one of the more dominating thoughts being my life and what I'm doing with it at that time and what I plan on doing with it in the future. I remember many times in Korea feeling vulnerable. That vulnerability is what helped me grow so much in a place I was so unfamiliar in. I was forced out of my comfort zone. I was broken down so I could be built up stronger, happier, more confident. I learned a lot about myself and still have much more to learn. I miss that feeling.

Tonight I decided to go rent a movie... as I walked through the movie store, I was drawn to the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" with Julia Roberts. I love Julia Roberts. I have had a few friends tell me 'Kris... you will love it, but once you watch this movie, you will just want to drop your life here and go travelling'. Silly friends... I don't need to watch a movie for that desire to come... it's a natural craving I have daily, but I will admit.. watching the movie definitely enhanced it tonight. I've always loved travelling. I've been blessed to have had the opportunity to travel to a few places already in my life: Mexico, Hawaii, Australia, China, and Korea being the farthest and most adventurous. Korea was really the only one I was able to dive into and really get a taste of the culture. Most of the other places I spent a week or two in and got an appetizer of these places, but I crave the opportunity to dive into the main course and dessert of the amazing foreign places places around the world we are so unfamiliar to. One part of the movie that I loved and craved was the way she dressed in the different cultures she was in. When you travel to foreign places, you tend to pick up different fashion trends within the country. In India, she wore a saree (traditional Indian dress)... I loved it. She had very few, simple pieces of clothing and the brand or cost was of no interest or worry. Her hair was normally worn in a bun or loosely down. Her make-up.. very simple and natural.

I've talked to my family about this a couple times, but every now and then, I have a breakdown about how I feel like this is not where I'm supposed to be. I feel like I should be experiencing that discomfort and adventure of being somewhere foreign, somewhere I am forced to be out of my comfort zone in, a place where I am constantly broken down so I am forced to look in a mirror and re-evaluate my goals and aspirations. In reality... I know it's easier said then done. I am in my 5th year of post-secondary schooling which means a lot of debt with student loans. I am in my first of two years of an amazing education program where I have met some truly inspirational people who have taught me great things that will help guide my future life and career. I am close to family and friends that love me and that I love to be so close to. So will my deep desire to get out and explore the world happen any time soon... probably not, but the passion and yearning I have to do it will probably never leave either! It will always be in the back of my mind... maybe one of the days, I will just pick up and take off for another adventure :) I hope it is sooner rather than later. We only live once and the freedom and time to do these things may not be around forever.

What's your favorite picture of your best friend?

This, my dear friends and family, is my best friend Kenzie (Sheen) Balderson. Isn't she beautiful!?!?!? That smile can light up any room!!!!! How did we become best friends? That's a great question... I'm not entirely sure. I can't name the specific moment we transformed from associates to best friends but this is how the story goes. We attended different high schools in small towns in southern Alberta. We played basketball against each other and I recently found out her parents (especially her dad) very much disliked me when it came to court play. I've heard that from a few friends' parents :) Must be my stellar defence :) We never hung out in high school, but she dated a boy that hung out with all my Cardston guy friends and one spring we went on the same group date. It was the date I talked about a few blogs ago and we all had a blast together... still there was no bonding that went on between Kenzie and I. We continued to run into each other in different social scenes, but Kenzie came into my life as more of a friend at a very critical time in my life. It was the summer before I moved up to Edmonton for my 2nd year up here. A close friend of mine at the time had some struggles in her life and decided to take most of her problems out on me. Kenzie saw this and came to my rescue. She proved to be the constant, true friend I had always wanted in my life. She was my friend I could ride the river with. We bonded instantly and she has been my best friends since that time. She has pushed me consistently to be better in many aspects of my life. She is an example in so many ways and I can only hope to reach her stellarness someday! She got married this past August and he is the luckiest man in the world! She is going to be such an amazing mother and I know she will continue to be my dear friend! I always miss her and love it when we spend time together! I will love her forever and will always give thanks for God blessing me with the most perfect best friend I could've ever asked for!