Keeping That Spirit Alive

 When I was a naïve 23-year-old young woman, I travelled alone to tour America. I had no clue how big my adventure was going to be. It was a blessing in disguise being clueless about how big each place was. They say ignorance is bliss. I never feared for my life or worried, travelling with such ease from New York to San Francisco to Los Angeles all by myself. On my recent trip to Israel, where I promoted my poetry book, I stayed with family. Naturedly, I felt like home in my birthplace. I had that carefree spirit that I had when I was younger.
Yesterday, I was bumped from my flight back to Los Angeles from London. Instead of getting upset, I was grateful for wonderful new chance to stay overnight revisit a familiar place that I’d been to 40 years ago. That unforeseen situation was not a bump in the road but an opportunity to venture out. Of course, I could have played it safe and stayed the whole evening in my hotel room, but instead, I took a few shuttles and hopped on the underground to Piccadilly Circus. I walked the same streets I did when I was 16 years old, seeing that place for the first time with fresh eyes and hungry spirit. It was changed. A large LED screen covered a building just like Times Square, something that wasn’t there 50 years ago. Of course, the place has changed over the years and so did I. It felt good to get lost in the crowd, feel unknown even for a little while. On the way back to my hotel, I made a new friend on the train. There’s something special about not knowing well in advance where the road leads; Just enjoying a new adventure, allowing you to go with the flow, just ride with the wind. Life is a journey.
I proved to myself that I haven’t lost that spirit. Out of the blue, change can be fun and positive experience. That simple venture revived my soul, even though it only took a few hours. I’m finally settling back in at home, unpacking many photos and new memories.
Naomi Young is an educator of Jewish studies and a Bar/ Bat mitzvah tutor in Santa Clarita for 36 years. She’s also a published writer and an artist. You may contact her at naomiyoung7@yahoo.com and visit her art website www.naomiyoung.com