Monday, July 30, 2012

Spontaneity



Naturally I am not the most spontaneous person - well actually, I am not very spontaneous at all. I like plans, schedules and being in control of things. Yet, whenever life takes hold of me and I am forced to make alterations to my plans, I look back without regrets. Moreover, I look back at the times as one of the most fun and exciting moments I experienced - the best parties I have attended were those I had no intention of going, the best nights I spent with friends were those where we decided to spontaneously go stargazing in the middle of the night, the best conversations I had were those where a friend and I spontaneously grabbed a coffee in an unplanned library break. I enjoy these moments of my life so much, that, in fact, every year I vow to be more spontaneous, to let this big wave called life carry me, to live from one moment to the next, without worry and without fear.

This summer, beyond anything, is proving to be the best school of a spontaneous lifestyle. While the first half of my summer was planned in terms where I was going to be, the exact details and whereabouts were unknown to me. Even more, however, the second half of my summer was completely unplanned. Even while I was in Africa, I had no idea what I was going to do and where I would go when I come back to Europe. Unsurprisingly, though, life is making the decisions for me. I came back to Scotland, found a job, enjoyed life and then - super spontaneously - booked a flight back home two days before I left. Not because I planned going home right when I did, but because there was an opportunity and I took hold of it. That's what I came to realize spontaneity is - recognizing a window of opportunity and making the most out of it.