GIVE: “La Gente”
Written by: Jake Muniak
You live and you learn right? But actually... Do you really? Do you actively gather your experiences in a memory bank to afterwards process that information without static? I don't. Very infrequently at least. If I had to fill in a bubble on one of those over exaggerate the good and underplay the bad self-diagnosis tests, and was given the choices never, rarely, sometimes, often and very often- I’d put rarely.
But when that "rarely" rears its pale and awkwardlyunacquaintedwiththesun head something crazy happens. I find parallels between situations. Like invisible lines that transcend time and connect fragmented situations from which our lives materialize. This person’s body language is similar to a situation in the past when there was someone sneaking up behind me with a big whip-cream pie to my face. Turn around.
More experience garners more situational awareness. But situations are bizarre and as unpredictable as Armageddon which makes it imperative to hold onto this wisdom with a firm grip as opposed to letting it slip lazily through busy fingers.
So travel.
Travel gives you the most unique arsenal of weird experiences you could ask for in the time you’re given here. You’ll hear new music; beautiful, inspired music that someone uses to tell their story. Taste dishes from countries where your favorite foods were born. You’ll know how to deal with the pressing reality of staying within 20 feet of the nearest toilet at any given time. You’ll learn to cope with loneliness. You’ll be eternally grateful for a bumpy uncomfortable ride because you no longer have to walk.
And the people. That’s really what gets you. Because people are making that music. People are behind that grill. People are driving the overcrowded pickup. People keep us going through the low times. People dot the face of this planet with more joy, struggles, love and life than stars you’ll see in any sky you put your feet under.