Thoughts of a Bear

Well, it’s been a few weeks since my introductory post. I’ve been brainstorming my next post, trying to get stuff out on the page and to be honest blogging is not as easy as it seems. The main theme that has been on my mind for my second post is the time of year. The summer and its warmness have left and it is once again September with October right around the corner. As a political science student I realize I should have been thinking about 9/11, Palestine and its bid for statehood to the UN Security Council, and a long list of other substantial world events that are occuring. While I browse these headlines daily, the change in seasons stirs something greater inside me. The strong winds and vibrant colors mirror the thoughts engendered in my head. It’s a feeling hard to describe that I can only phrase in a somewhat ambiguous, over simplistic way: human.

Now, the only way for me to explain what I mean by human is through an off topic, long and complex example. Troy Davis was executed in the state of Georgia this weekend. He was sentenced to the death penalty for committing a murder, despite a number of the eye-witnesses retracting their statements against him and no physical evidence proving he murdered anyone. To say the least it is a very sad and aggrevating case. I read an article written by a journalist who has been covering the Troy Davis trial for over a decade. She witnessed his death at the state prison. The journalist, Joann Merrigan, wrote a long, heartfelt description of the confusion and horror she felt.  She writes “And then the warden pronounced him dead at 11:08 p.m. by saying “the lawful execution of Troy Anthony Davis has been carried out by the state of Georgia.” This sentence threw me off as I was reading. In the middle of her beautiful and terrible piece about another human being’s death, the law had reduced it all to that one single sentence. It felt so meaningless after all the questions and emotions she described. One question she posed especially struck me: “I wondered about love and grief and why some people have more than their share and why others who are lucky are often stupid about their good fortune.”  

So, how does this relate to the changing seasons? Well, I think fall has the ability to ground us. As a “foodie” I associate the change in seasons with a change to the menu rather than flipping the calendar page. The bounty of summer is gone; the water melon and peaches and strawberries have long disappeared from the tips of our tongues. During fall, we are forced to look around us, see what is there. It’s been one of those weeks where I’ve taken everything out of my closet and for the first time in years have actually been aware of what is in my house. It’s a feeling of rootedness, of connection, and for myself the feeling of being human.

While the shift from summer to fall is always a little depressing, it is also uplifting. There comes with it a sense of renewal and growth.  An appreciation for what we have.

Thanks for following my blog! To tell you a bit about myself, my name is Alexandra. I have a few addictions which will probably become apparent. These include political issues, the news, and cooking/growing food. Tea is included in the food category as well.  I wake up in the morning, listen to and read the news (at the same time sometimes), go to school to study political science, and then come home and cook huge, tasty dinners (which I also consider political because I am one of those overly-aware-of-everything-I-buy people). In between this routine, I work at a radio station part-time. The thing I enjoy most about my work is talking to people. I live my life somewhat like a sponge. I absorb everything, learning everywhere I go and from the people that I meet and talk to. My degree has fueled much of this desire to learn as I have come to realize how massive, how different and how fluid human beings and the world are. And that, is really exciting.

Despite my training throughout university to look at the world and all of its complexities, I have a tattoo on my back of the word ‘Simplicity’. Happiness has perplexed me occasionally, and I have arrived at the conclusion that happiness comes from within. It is not a measurement of whether we are living ideal lives, but an expression of who we are as people. For example, picking fresh herbs is something that brings me happiness. Or making a fresh cup of watermelon-ginger juice in the summer, which you can do by putting watermelon and freshly grated ginger in a blender. It’s the simple, everyday things which create happiness in my life. But the wide world is out there waiting, and I won’t spend every day talking about the rosemary I got from the tree down the street. This blog is another way I am attempting to engage with the world, learn new things from others, and also explore all the buzzing thoughts that are in my head as I begin my journey as a university student emerging from five years of reading, thinking, and writing, reading, thinking, and writing. Now I can do that without paying money and worrying about getting a measly B!  

I hope you enjoy my ventures in random, interesting things!