The two L's...

One big thing I've learnt on my trip so far is how one emotion can manifest itself in many different ways. The main example of this is travelling alone. I've quickly realised the very same emotion, nestling somewhere inside my stomach, can rear its head as loneliness or liberty. On good days, the overwhelming feeling of liberty, of being my own master, the one who decides, fills me with joy and hope of what is to come. And most of my journey has been that way. But I've also noticed certain days I can feel alone, lonely, no one around but me. And yet they're one and the same? They both seem to flow from the same place inside. They aren't two different emotions. But one emotion, represented in different ways. And that's when you realise that you can influence your own mood. We, as human beings, have a tendency to think the grass is greener on the other side. But it isn't always that way. How many times have you been surrounded by people and just wished you were alone. How many times have you been on your own and just wished you had your friends around you? Travelling alone mixes the two. Every time I feel alone, I just remind myself that I can do what I want, go where I want, and make my own decisions. Every time I feel surrounded by people and perhaps want some space, I remind myself that its good to have people around you. Much of the past few weeks I've been surrounded by people; from Minneapolis, through the Upper Peninsula, in Pittsburgh, in Upper Black Eddy, in Philly and for the past few days in Baltimore. This morning Alyssa left to go back to Bucks County, and I suddenly felt very alone for the first time in a few weeks. This was partly because in Alyssa I found a soul mate, and I was sad to see her leave. Its not often that you meet people who you can feel so close to in such a short space of time, but it's the second time that has happened on my trip. I think it was also perhaps my first bout of homesickness. Thanksgiving is a massive holiday in the States, and is very family oriented, and I suddenly felt very far from home. I will spend the rest of today investigating Baltimore, and this evening I shall meet up with Erica, someone I met in New York when I was there last year (though she is from Baltimore). Three weeks ago she kindly said I should go to her families for Thanksgiving if I was in the Baltimore area. Without planning it that way, my journey has brought me through Baltimore this week, so I kindly accepted. And then on Friday I shall visit Paul Levit and his family, a distant relative from Arlington (just southwest of Washington DC) who my dad got in touch with through his interest in Genealogy. I also met his sister Susan for breakfast when I was in Philly on Monday (it's a story for another blog, but we share the same great great great great grandfather).

Anyway, I feel better now for just having written this blog, so I think it's time to see more of Baltimore. (I might also try to catch the Rangers V Utd game if I can find a bar showing it).