introducing the lotus.

Well... here we go.

I have been considering the task of blogging for some time now but have always hesitated because it's so easy to go straight to my journal and keep things private and uncensored. After hearing about Dylan, Keeley, and now Zoë, starting a blog, I'm motivated to get the ball rolling for myself. And what perfect timing too, now that I've had a very reflective and meaningful month. These past few weeks have been filled with appreciation, reunions, motivation, sentimentality, and clarity. I finally am starting to get a better idea of what the "next step" is and it is simultaneously exciting and overwhelming. I look forward to using this blog from now on to share these motivations with people who are important to me and whom I want to know every important detail of my life.

Before I get really invested in this blog and start spilling out all my thoughts on my past, present, and future, I want to explain the title of this blog - "Lotus Rising." As most of you know, I spent two weeks last summer traveling around the wonderful and enchanting region of Tibet. I learned a lot about the history and culture of the former country but most interestingly, I learned a lot about the Buddhist religion. One of the most common chants of the Tibetan monks is "oh mani padme hum," which, in translation, means, "I bow down to the jewel of the lotus." I absolutely fell in love with this notion. The idea is that the beautiful and pure lotus flower rises above the murky waters of the pond and remains afloat in the same way that we, as human beings, should aim to rise above all the struggle, depression, violence, and other negative things in our lives and to instead, find happiness and serenity. How beautiful is that? We are all a work in progress but when I remember the story of the lotus flower, I am inspired to keep things in perspective. I don't ever want to lose sight of myself or my goals or the things that make me eternally happy. Writing is my means of release, my means of "rising above" the frustration, confusion, struggle in my life. By releasing my thoughts on both the things that frustrate and elate me, I hope to maintain the balance in life and to make sure I don't wander from the path I want to be on in this life.