cretean sunsets and JD

i dont seem to be able to fully accept that i am infact in greece. i must admit though, the position i am in right at this moment is most enviable. im sitting on the balcony of my little studio apartment, looking out onto the purple and orange sunset skies behind a grassy farm hill, and if i crane my head just slightly to the right, i look out on to the mediterranean ocean. the lights from the shops and the houses on the left urbanize it, but turning away from that, its quite picturesque. and the weather, oh for gods sake, is so beautiful! in the 8 30 twilight, its breezy and sweater worthy. but the mornings and afternoons are sunny and just the right amount of warm. it is wonderful being here.

my jaws ache because ive been grinning to myself a lot. but the company i have been keeping is wonderful too. the women i have met have been inspiring and have educated more than i would have thought i could be; but it is a beautiful feeling meeting these women, from different backgrounds, all much older and more experienced than i am, and have comefrom hardships that i would never know at this point. it makes me being here seem to easy! but they inspire me everyday, with the way they are and where they have come from, and their need for so many things that i crave for without fully knowing if i can actually achive, and i see them achieveing and i am rendered only stronger, because i have no choice but to believe in myself. it has been just two days in, and i am so thankful and i appriciate so much already.

i find myself more open, than ever before, to just learn more and connect, to be honest with myself, and to learn to conquor my need for misery. we are not bound by anything, not our countries, or our religions, or languages, or even our families. we are only bound by what we choose to be bound by.

i am so wonderfully happy, and i apologize if i sound like a hippie or a preacher, but i am filled with an unexpected calm. i laugh at the panic i felt, sitting at athens airport, on the verge of tears because i was so scared i was making a stupid decision.

kristy said this morning, a phrase used among people living in the grand canyon area in the US, "if youre not living on the edge, youre taking up too much space." maybe that could be a little extreme, but hey, if you want to fall, you better fucking jump, right?

yes.