Daytripping

Introduction to Time

“I wear the universe backwards. I imagine putting stars in my coffee, and sugar in the sky. I imagine going fishing in the clouds, and watching the sun hide behind lakes. I’m too busy dancing with my imagination to even tip toe with reality for a second.” - D. Antoinette Foy

Time works in odd ways. A construct developed by humans, based on longitude, latitude, and revolutions of our planet around the sun; time is something that oddly we all relate to but nevertheless is purely nonsensical.

Beyond time, timing, as a concept is equally peculiar. I think everyone experiences “good timing” and “bad timing.” The tragedy of meeting a soul mate at an unsuitable moment, or the serendipity of running into an old friend in a moment of sadness. We all throw around these expressions, and we all buy into this idea that time is this additional element connecting us all.
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Yesterday and Today

“I have done nothing all summer but wait for myself to be myself again.” - Georgia O’Keefe

​Yesterday and today are entirely blurred together. I feel no concept of time and space and my body feels jetlagged and my thoughts feel like they’re hours behind schedule. I am processing in slow motion and over processing at the same time. By the time I went to sleep this morning it was already today. Each day is just an extension of the last.

I spent last night in Anniegrace’s basement hanging out with her and Sasha. We decided to walk to the beach, barefoot, wandering through the darkness of the night.

The tide was so high that there was no sand when the waves came tumbling towards the cliff. We all had to time our departure from the stairs to the shore to avoid getting soaked. Nobody said a word but we all instinctively knew to wait for the waves to tumble backwards before sprinting towards the ladder of the lifeguard tower, making it above the water in perfect time. Mesmerized, we watched how the waves fizzled into the sand and rolled back out into the blackness of the night, again and again. The moon was barely visible and provided no light. Besides the bulbs from the stairs we could see virtually nothing, but also everything.

Make Waves

“I'll meet you in the daylight seeping from the skyline...” - Love Unlimited by Blackbird Blackbird

​The white foam was almost scintillating in the darkness. I wanted to be engulfed by the darkness and let it wash over me like a shower, consume me like a vacuum into a new and better dimension beyond this world. All I said was “let’s go in.” Anniegrace pulled off her shirt, handed me her phone, and bolted into the sea before I could say otherwise. I turned to Sasha, and he ran, and I ran after them.

The wet salty water clung to my jeans. My hair melted into seaweed as waves soaked my locks. Salt water burned my eyes and cleansed my skin. Sand kissed my toes and, as I stood there, diving and jumping over waves that appeared out of nowhere, staring off into the darkness, I felt a peace unlike any other. A sense of tranquility washed over us all. We laughed and joked and tumbled into the night heading further west. It was like a movie. Or a song. We weren’t cold, we were content, and we were living.

This is what life is made of. Sand, and salt, and stardust. This is what adventures are. Spontaneous, free spirited, and carefree. None of us cared what we looked like or cared that we didn’t have towels. We had sand beneath our barefeet and stars above our heads. We had each other and we were connected to the world in a way that was pure and holy.
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Simply Be

“it's not magic, but it feels that way. And I believe that it was love, at least something of that sort...” - Like A Dream - Demo by Chelou

​Isn’t it odd how the world works. Heightened by the influx of technology, our perception of the world becomes clearer, and our ability to communicate with people from various countries ((and continents)) is at an all time high. The world is more accessible than ever, yet we still feel so separate. Essentially, and especially, in this day and age, we live less in the moment than ever. We can be at the beach in California, but be on our phones looking at Instagram photos of someone in Tahiti. We are so far removed from reality, whatever that is, and we rarely take moments to simply be.

I left my phone at Anniegrace’s house and Sasha’s was dead. We were being ourselves for ourselves and I was actively cherishing each moment purely for the sake of being there and living it. Although unrealistic, we could have been carried away by the sea if it chose, we could have refused to follow Anniegrace into the water, it was a moment full of potential magic. The earth is a silly place full of silly rules and silly people. Quarks and impurities and unknown things.

​Human Nature

“Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as an escape.” - Bell Hooks

​Humans are seekers of truth. We don’t know where the universe began. We don’t know where it ends. We don’t know much of anything and it’s taken us millions of years to learn what we think we know today.

I sit on the floor of my bedroom as I write this to feel more grounded. I feel as though I am floating, untethered by truth. As humans there are certain things we innately crave: companionship, clarity, love.

We want a companion or companions to share our existences with; to provide them with meaning greater than procreation or nothingness.

We insist on clarity to feel purposeful, as if our actions help to ensure the continuation of our species on this small planet.

We need love to feel fulfilled and important. If not by someone else, than from ourselves. Like air, or water, love is essential to survival.

​Metaphors for Existence

“In your life, you must do what fulfills you. What lights your inner fire. What makes your heart shine. You must. For like a fish swimming out of water, or a penguin living in the tropics, things will not feel right; Simply because there are greater things out there for you.” - Nicole Addison

Sasha told us that he once walked onto the train tracks as a train was approaching from the distance. He said it felt “serene.” I think we all crave experiences like that, choices that make you realize how fleeting life can be.

In the water last night, we couldn’t distinguish the horizon from the sky, and waves appeared before our eyes. I said it was a  metaphor for life and how I can’t see what my future holds but I take it each wave at a time, and continue to swim even when the waves come crashing out of the blue. That felt serene.

Eventually it was time for us to head back in. Just as quickly as we ran out of the water towards land, the magic of the moment dissipated. We went back to being a trio of goofy teens all mixed up in the world.

Back at Anniegrace’s house we enjoyed warm cups of Mexican hot chocolate. We were bundled up in towels, wet, and stripped down to our underwear, still laughing at ourselves for being human.

We all laughed a lot.

I don’t recall every joke.

But I can tell you we laughed.

I can tell you I felt important.

I felt loved.

I felt clarity.

I felt companionship.

I felt human.

​​© Annie Fay Meitchik. All Rights Reserved. All content on anniefay.com is my own or credit is given when applicable, please do not use any of my images before contacting me above or @ anniefaymeitchik@gmail.com.