Love knows no borders

As I travel and analyze the various people that I meet, the one thing that sticks out to me that is always, always characteristically the same… is our unfaltering obsession with love. Yes, that word that can make us either smile or cry depending on life’s moments we are in. The love I am speaking of here is the kind of love that we all inevitably, in some point of our lives, become obsessed with. Finding that person that makes your heart skip a beat and your mind race with thoughts of building a life together, or at least a few months or years. This simple act can become daunting and heartbreaking, but as with anything that can ultimately lead to a broken heart, the journey you took to get there is usually lined with euphoric joy and uncharted waters being explored…




So this simple act of finding love, to some, can become life’s biggest challenge and goal. Travelling this world I have seen that love in other lands is not always as easy as looking and finding. In some areas of the world the finding and discovery, the courting and quickened heart beats, is a luxury that many don’t get to explore. While their heart may ache for another, fate will make it so they are forced to turn their eyes away from the one person that they feel completes them.



To love by choice is a luxury that they will never know.

Their paths are laid out for them, their choices taken away, and they will do what they are told for the sake of the family. Love to them may turn into something different… giving love a meaning of its own. Love to them may not mean that you are able to spend your life with the person that was the first to make your heart ache for their arms, or the person that won your heart after a fight for your hand. But perhaps love may mean finding it in the security of the other that was appointed to you. Conceivably finding love in another through time instead of through heart and through growth instead of through courtship. This makes love take on a whole new meaning. Love is even more complicated than what we already knew to be true.

In most parts of America fortunately that is a feeling we are not faced with. We are free to love and free to choose who we love. Free to pick our mate for reasons merely of the heart and not due to social class, religion, nationality, or your family that you are born into. As I know that this is a luxury and a blessing, I also can remember distinctive times that this has felt like a curse. When you find love and then lose it, known happiness with another and then witnessed it fade before your eyes. In those times the thought of not having to bear the weight of choosing your person can seem appealing. When your heart is broken, when you cannot have the person that you feel is your soul mate, in those times it seems fitting that you just be placed with someone… for what does it matter if you can’t have the one your heart is aching for.



But knowing that we are the same everywhere reminds me that love is a blessing and not a curse. As I walked the roads in SE Asia, I witnessed love all around. I witnessed young girls giggling over boys, couples walking hand in hand on dirt lined roads. Whether we are born into poverty or into lavishness, our hearts all beat the same. We were given the ability to love another in all different forms. So we will. We will continue to love and dream. Let our minds wander to what is or what could be. Hope that what we have will last forever, perpetually bringing us back to what it is that brought us there to begin with. I read these words on a sign in Bali… They spoke to me then and remind me yet again today of the power of love.



“Love~ I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times, in life after life, in age after age, forever .

(All pictures by my love.. Mr Curt Joyce)

Charming Thailand

All pictures were taken by Mr. Curt Joyce.Thank you Curt for your amazing pictures and an unforgettable journey together through SE Asia!

Being home after a few months of travelling and seeing more of Gods beautiful land, I am ready to share some of my feelings and thoughts providing a glimpse into my time in SE Asia. As best as I can put my feelings, loves, heartaches, and realizations into words, the next few blogs are dedicated to my time away.

We arrived to Bangkok via New York. Going from one overwhelming and breathtaking city to the next was the perfect way to start the adventure. As with anytime you travel a good 24 hours in air time not to mention the travel time in between, you learn to hurry to wait, and then hurry once again. (Little did I know then that I would learn the art of this in SE Asia, as they seem to have this simple act down to an effortless tee )

We got into the bustling, mega city sleepy eyed and dragging our feet. As we were walking around, finally rested and able to comprehend the craziness around us, I saw new backpackers that had just arrived. I couldn't help but think that when you are in the middle of backpacking, feet dragging and exhaustion setting in, we all have that same look… the look of war victims. But it’s all worth it in the end, once you are able to put the pack down and rest your weary head for a bit, you will inevitably open your eyes with renewed energy, look around at the new beautiful part of the world you are about to explore, and smile to yourself forgetting the epic bus ride you just took or the indescribable journey that took many unforgettable hours. You now know that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

So Bangkok it was. This massive city is filled with huge temples, amazing food, crazy roads, and monks everywhere. We stayed near Koh San road… the ever famous backpacker metropolis with lines of food carts, street vendors, and anything you can think of to buy. Although as fascinating as this area is at first, we quickly saw that the appeal fades fast. We soon realized why this is only a brief stopping point for most travelers. We decided to hit the road, travel by train, bus,plane, and motorbike all around this fascinating country… With beautiful culture, colorful people, and intriguing land, Thailand was the perfect place to start our epic adventure.

My first impressions of Thailand ranged from pure beauty in the enormous and vibrant temples, to dirty and nasty streets that were lined with garbage. As with so many of the countries I have visited, in certain areas cleanliness is lacking. You see things that will break your heart, wishing that you could fix it all. It is during those times that you feel helpless and useless to a solution, that you will inevitably be reminded of what truly matters.

The language barrier was larger than I predicted, English is spoken but scarcely, and the use of characters for letters made it nearly impossible for us to even guess as to what something means. But that is part of the appeal to me, travelling and seeing what is out there. Realizing that my normal is far unlike another’s normal, making me appreciate this world even more than before.

Buddhism is everywhere; this seemingly strange religion that I, unfortunately, really know nothing about. Seeing the passion that people overwhelmingly had for this religion, made me wish I knew a little more about it. I wish I understood what the big, fat, cute, and ebullient statue really stands for. As I settled into Thailand wishing I knew more of this religion, I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps ignorance could be better with this one. It would allow me to continue to look at what they are worshiping with unknowing eyes. It would enable me, in spite of everything, to only see the glistening shiny Buddha’s, monks in orange wandering the streets with smiles on their faces, and the glamorous temples that line the amazing hillside. But after this brief thought I decided that as with everything in this world, knowledge and truth always outweighs ignorance. And like most things, outer appearance means nothing over what is making up the inside.

As we continued to travel through SE Asia we learned more about this and many other religions. So many people in so many parts of this world are driven by such different and diverse religions. I am realizing that knowledge of these religions is important. It is important to know what it is that drives people, where their hearts lie. But even more important than learning of another’s beliefs, is to remember to keep your own ideas and beliefs on your God and your faith, unyielding and true. It is up to you to stand firm, uncompromising in what you believe in, and tell it to those that want to hear.

And so it was we started our journey learning and growing and seeing what people’s lives are like in this area of the world… Our journey with all its ups and downs has changed me once again with new found appreciation for what we have and what we actually need. I hope through these next few writings can express my heart and the beauty of what I saw along the way.

Hopes and Prayers

So many things I hope for you this Christmas time and beyond… My family and friends, my loved ones who all play a part of who I am, help represent where I have been, and all own a distinct place in my heart... A few words for you to start the New Year.

I hope for peace and light to settle over you in a world that seems large and hectic, a frenzy of existence. I hope for God’s love to shine through, revealing to you the path that is yours, bright and clear, free of clutter and free of charge for you to run full force down. Giving you strength to change the things you wish to be different, and anticipation instead of dread for the unknown road ahead.

I hope for health, bodies full of life, energy to sing and dance, praise and love. I hope for you to find your true love, the kind that makes you wonder what you did without this person that completes your sentences and your heart, you deserve this more than anyone I know.

I hope that life’s hard decisions all the twists and turns that need answers, answers that seem to weigh a thousand pounds, answers that bear so many consequences that you just can’t make up your mind, will become unmistakable to you. The clearness that is distinctive to your heart only, will be given to you so that the weight you have been carrying, the weight that is putting out your light, will be lifted.

I hope the things that need to be forgotten will fade until they no longer hurt memories not haunting but only full of the times we need to remember.

I hope for healing, God’s power he has to heal our sick, and our loved ones. But I also hope for understanding, our minds to be able to understand and accept when it hurts the most, when the ones we love are sick or no longer with us. I pray for understanding and peace, your reasons being greater than our own and being able to accept that without our humanity demanding proof of why or how.

2010… A crazy collection of memories to look back on, a year full to the brim… many lands traveled, loves blossomed, and friendships made. I am so thankful for all the relationships made and cherish the times with you all. 2011 Here we come.

Starting a new adventure

Today I sit here in Cranford, New Jersey… it is a beautiful crisp Fall day with endless blue sky’s and a sun sitting so bright and high, as if it’s only job is to provide us with joy and smiles.


Curt and I left the Columbia River Gorge October first, driving away with all of our belongings fitting in our truck. Hitting the road to start the next chapter, we decided to stay true to what it is that we have decided is true and perfect for our life (at least in this stage) downsizing our belongings and enabling our home to fit in our truck... Sounds crazy, but it is humbling to realize that what we need in this world is so much less in than most of us will ever realize. As I understand that all stages of our life are different, the one I am in is creating a foundation for a greater appreciation going forward in my life, ultimately making me open my eyes to what are our needs and what are our wants.

For this journey we decided to take our time driving across our beautiful country. We were taking it all in, seeing countless states and distinctive country side. Making memories as we went; from spending hours on hikes in different states to spending Halloween day in South Carolina swimming in the ocean on a beautiful 80 degree day. By taking our time we also had endless minutes to discuss our next step… We are heading to South East Asia for the next three months of our life.

We are super excited for this decision that we made. We will be heading to Thailand first to spend 3 weeks, then on to Bali Indonesia to spend 2 months. During our time in Bali we will have to leave the country due to visas so we will spend a week in Kuala Lumper. I have put a link to our journey on this page if anyone is at all interested to see where we end up. We have a nice gadget that wherever we are in this amazing world we can push a button and it sends a signal tracking where we are and puts that info on the web page… ah inventions… ~~Speaking of inventions, we went to Thomas Edison’s home and factory today, what an amazing man who created for us not only the light bulb but had 1,093 U.S patents and had a factory employing over 10,000 employees to distribute and create his inventions… just a cool tid bit I learned today that inspired me so I thought I would share…. :) ~~

Curt and I are heading to New York City tomorrow to spend the weekend. We will be flying out of JFK Monday morning to head over seas… I feel blessed to have seen so many areas of this world, and am thankful to see even more. To have looked at a map of these areas forever is far different than seeing first hand that it all exists and realizing once again, as I did when stepping of the plane in Africa not long ago, that it is not very far away and this world is completely open to us. So needless to say I am surrendered to gratitude for this trip and my life that I am getting to share with my guy who I continue to fall farther and farther in love with…

Leaving you with a quote from Thomas Edison which seems to fit after spending a day looking at a glimpse of his life "I readily absorb ideas from every source, frequently starting where the last person left off"

Goodbye Gorge....

Jeni Stembridge photography... Love you Jeni

I feel blessed in my life to have been able to see many parts of this world, so many places of beauty and magnificence. Places that have made me feel completely enamored and so ridiculously small in significance to the exquisiteness that was surrounding me. As I think about the Colombia River Gorge, this special place that is by far one of the most amazing places in this world, I smile to think it is this magical place that has brought together some of the most amazing, diverse, colorful, and beautiful people that I have ever met. As I get ready to say goodbye to my special place, I can’t help but reflect on the people that I have met along the way.



In the last few months I have met remarkable women whose eyes sparkle with a passion for life and for their art, which ranged with such a rich diversity. I have met men with the same sparkle in their eye, the love of water and their passion to see it all, makes them a continuous inspiration for those they meet on their journey. We all added something different, inspiring each other to see the world in a different way. We all are different, yet so similar, living life by the moment and taking it as it comes. Our distinct paths and unique stories created colorful relationships and one of the things we all have in common is we are completely in love with our little area of the world.



Our time is slowly coming to an end… the life of tents and wilderness, is reaching the closing stages, the time of moving forward. As Tom Petty puts it oh so well, “it’s time to move on, time to get goin”. Talk has slowly turned into what will become of the coming months, each of us a different path and a different direction. For some; months of travel to foreign lands and for others work is calling in other fabulous parts of this world. We will move on, see new life and feel new loves. We all will be a little different when we meet again, a little changed by life and our paths. We will have new stories to tell, all while making new memories as we tell them.



I feel more like myself when I am here.I will forever remember and describe this area as I did the first time I came here… when I am here... when I am laying on that dirt road, looking at the endless skies and the stars that seem to go on for miles, I still feel that I am in the middle of nowhere, yet completely in the center of everything.This place has my heart and now more than ever it holds a special place for the countless memories that have been made by remarkable people I have met in my middle of nowhere.

Figuring it all out..

Currently I am figuring out this life. I am in this moment, this time that continues to surprise me and change me. I thought of these words today, thought of what it even means to have it all figured out… Does it mean that I figured out that love is more important than money, or that I figured out a job title will never bring you happiness nor will it succeed in making your soul feel content or fulfilled? Or does it mean that I have realized we need so much less than we have. I have figured out that we need only few things in this life, a house full of stuff, a garage with countless toys, or elaborate set ups with rooms that are not even filled, seems to me to be beyond comprehendible or justifiable especially with what I have seen that others have in this world, or for a better account, lack thereof.

As we grow, age with grace, there seems to me to be continuous change in the way we view the world. We change perceptions on what is important in this life and who we decide to spend our time with, who is worthy to share our loves and hopes with. We start to acknowledge that our time is better spent sharing our dreams and our views with people that will love you through everything you do. The people that guide you through every storm you encounter and help you pick up the pieces along the way.



As we grow we make fewer excuses for wrongs done to us. We realize through trial and error that we are worth more than what some can give. Realizing this one can set you free. Once you can see the light that you shine, it is only then that it is easier to see when someone is putting it out.



So to figure out this life… I am beginning to understand that when I am looking ahead to the next chapter, looking at my new hopes and new loves, new travels and new ideas, I will continue to be conscious of the current chapter I am in. While yes my head is swimming with all my ten thousand words I have for my next chapter, it is also overflowing with the time that I have had these last few months. The amazing, diverse, colorful, and beautiful people that I have met and times we have shared. The beautiful landscape and gorgeous rivers that have stolen my heart, all while getting to share it with the only person on this planet I can imagine sharing it with…



So maybe that is what it means to figure out this life… Sharing your time and your moments with the people that make you feel more like yourself when they are around than when they are not.. Loving with all you have and opening your heart to do so. Opening your mind to new loves and dreams all while staying true to the loves you have already found. As we venture forward, I have a feeling we will continue to “figure it out” all while being changed and shaped through circumstances and fate, into the people we are meant to be in this ever changing life.

Running

I was wondering today, why it feels at certain times we are all running from
something or at other times the opposite, that we are running towards something else. One day we think we have it figured out, we feel complete with where we are in life, who we love, where we live, where we work and what we “do”. Yet another day we entangle our thoughts on what is next, what else is there to see, doubt our decisions and contemplate on our truths. It is in those times that we become silent in the process.

Today I felt I needed to be silent. I looked around at all there is around me, the beautiful mountains and endless rivers surrounding my home. I gazed at the natural wonders and realized I still needed to take a step back. I am in this life, this moment. I am finding new loves, new passions and today I recognized that through all this, through new love and new life, it is important to remain true to what you know in your heart. Listening to our inner voice, become conscious of what it is we are seeing, what we are letting in, and who we are sharing it with.



So today I considered why it may feel we are running toward something else, when we know in our hearts that where we are is exactly where we should be. I feel that we do this if we forget to take a minute to catch our breath. If we forget to take time out, be silent, forget about our jobs and our relationships and remember what it is that makes us complete. When we do this, we realize that it is not the one we are with, or the job that we have, the activities we do daily or the passions we live for that make us complete and make our soul alive and our spirit bright. It is our faith and our love that makes us who we are, that lead us down this curvy road. We are who we are for a reason. We have been led to see things and go places that make each of us completely unique and exactly who we are.


I needed to remember this today. To remember that it is inside of us. Our faith and our God are in each of us and that is what will make us feel complete and remind us that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. Our daily life is hectic and full of ups and downs. It is through those times that our humanity makes us rely on the person we are with or the job that we have to make us feel fulfilled and loved. I needed to remember today that it will not have anything to do with another person or any activities I do that makes me feel full. I will try to remember to be silent during the times I need reassurance. Be silent, look up, and listen to my God that is leading my path.