Howling at the Moon

Every the full moon rises over Austin's dark sky, Barton Springs Pool honors that full moon by staying open a little later than usual for ‘Howl at the Moon Night.”


Carla, I, and the hippie in both of us went down to Barton Springs Pool to howl at the moon with the best of them. I drove around to the back entrance that was obviously closed from the lack of cars but we were determined to give it a try. Try we did, we started climbing over this fence that separated us from are fellow howlers but within two seconds the lifeguard from across the pool was yelling at us “GET OFF THE FENCE.” I had already made it to the other side and Carla was still on the ground on the other side laughing at me. I ended up climbing back over and we both ran to my car as fast as our short legs could take us to drive to the front entrance. Side note- I can’t remember the last time I climbed a fence- I definitely lost my fence climbing skills because I have a huge scrape on my leg from going over the top. Anyway, we drove around to the front, pulled into a rock star parking space and walked in as everyone’s chins were held high howling at the bright full moon. I couldn’t help but stop in my tracks and join in on the howling. People were in the pool swimming, jumping off diving boards, laughing, talking and howling. It was a brilliant and beautiful night.

I find comfort in knowing that wherever I go I will never let the fear of what others think or of what I think people are thinking prevent me from howling at the moon ever again.

Perfection

Not one cloud drifted across the sky as I peeked out of my window this morning around 8am. 12 hours later the same story till holds true.
The End to my perfect day- Sunset at Mount Bonnell.

Good-bye People

I have been all over the map- semesters in Oxford, three summers in Paris, 5 days in Austria…….two weeks in Salt Lake, I got use to saying goodbye just as quickly as saying hello. I am use to moving; I like the idea of my scenery constantly changing but in the foreseeable future I am staying in Austin and not moving (omgfo). I am still in the process of ‘making friends’ but I have noticed that I have said goodbye to just as many people in Austin as anywhere else I have been. I expected the opposite- meeting people and being friends forever and ever but instead I have said goodbye to at least 15 people in 3 months, all memorable in some way. I understand now that I attract/ am attracted to those who move and slightly intimidated by those who stay.
While saying goodbye is always sad I wouldn’t change it for the entire world. I know that I am drawn to those who feel the same way because while they are life-experienced in different ways, we are connected in our love to simply follow our need to move even if I technically can't at the moment. These people are like me. What I love most about those moments with these people is that there isn’t anything outside of it to judge- zero pressure, just friends for the brief portion of time. After goodbyes or those goodbye-less times when they walk away forever I always feel a little sadness but that sadness always graciously flows into a powerful smile because I know a tree that grows money doesn’t come close to the worth of the people I meet and the moments created in the mean time.