Leaving Tel Aviv and heading home. Photo by the author.
Friends! Fam... Happy Friday, and welcome to Citoyens du Monde! 🤟🏻🌍
Last night, I drove down to the beach around sunset to do some reading and go for a walk.
I felt invigorated by the air moving through my body and burst into a run; the rays of the sun warmed my skin and at this moment — life, nature, existence, could be described as nothing but good.
I moved faster along the water’s edge, pushing my arms and legs to drive me with purpose upon the earth’s surface.
This is the release I need to stay sane.
We all do in some capacity, for the sweat falling from my brow was the fear — the anxiety of everyday life.
Our fears are often irrational; yet the weight of existence is heavy — and we are only human.
Life feels like it’s moving impossibly fast and curiously slow. After the run I dove into the ocean like a jubilant pup, basking in its crisp, vivifying chill.
I’m being pulled in two directions: I can’t believe where time has gone; I look to the past; how is all of that life just a memory now?
I don’t know how to make sense of it, yet it also feels like nothing’s changed.
A new chapter is dawning, one that will bring more learning and growth than I’ve ever experienced. If all goes accordingly I'll be moving to Japan to teach English in September.
It's coming quick, and I don’t know if I’m ready.
I don’t even know what it means to be ready. But I feel something — a desire, a need to face my fears.
I’m afraid of dying, most of all, an irrational fear but a real one.
It’s not that I’m afraid of physically dying, although of course that fear is there — I’m afraid to leave this world, because this world, despite the flaws of existence and the inadequacies comprised in each of us, is so good.
It’s too good, the feeling of the ocean and the sand — the simplicities of life such as love, friendship, nature — those mysterious aspects of being which sustain us and are boundless.
The sun dips below the distant mountain, changing the colors of the sky where there’s no more white light but an awakening of nebulous, purple darkness.
I fear leaving this world, but to abide by our fear is to live in a way that doesn’t justify our every breath. There must be life beyond this earthly one.
But while I’m here, I hope to experience the rich magnitude of what it means to be human — perhaps that’s impossible without faith.
“Faith,” writes psychologist Jordan Peterson in 12 Rules for Life, “is not the childish believe in magic. That is ignorance or even willful blindness. It is instead the realization that the tragic irrationalities of life must be counterbalanced by an equally irrational commitment to the essential goodness of being.”
Faith is the belief that what we’re doing now will make the untold future brighter.
It’s an undue trust in the unseen forces which compose the nature of being.
It’s truly seeing our fellow human, because when we open our eyes, when we see one another, faults and all, we awaken the goodness of the human spirit fundamental to each of us.
Faith is the belief that pain is for a reason — that what we may experience now holds the key to future understanding.
Faith is the willingness, the courage, and the openness to face the world despite its dangers and the threat of the unknown.
As we roam the unknown, as we pay attention, we may realize that it contains more beauty than darkness, more love than hate.
Possibility is spun from the web of chaos, if only we’re willing to confront it.
Faith is giving yourself to something without the guarantee of success.
There’s nothing but a desire to reach the unreachable, a need to break from where you are.
This world can be disheartening, unforgiving and cruel. Yet so often the world we see is formed from our imagination.
As Peterson says: “The tragic irrationalities of life must be counterbalanced by an equally irrational commitment to the essential goodness of being.”
Why can’t we believe that the best possible thing will happen? That it’ll all work out? That we’ll persevere through whatever life puts in front of us?
Why shouldn’t we manifest our own reality and live a life that’s based on hope, love, trust — faith.
This isn’t naïve; it’s vital.
The stars will notice as you reach for them.
They will guide your steps, inspire your heart, and lift your spirits as you inevitably fall. That, to me, is a life worth living, one where every breath, every act, every dream, is justified.
Enjoy the stories from this week! 🍂
Medium Is Changing — Why Should We Care?
I’m here to write. Nothing’s changed as far as I’m concerned...
Reflections from my hometown on what home truly means...
A letter to the man in the mirror...
The Crippling Fear of Looking Dumb
Does nothing but hold us back. A lesson from a Los Angeles dancefloor...
Last night, I drove down to the beach around sunset to do some reading and go for a walk.
I felt invigorated by the air moving through my body and burst into a run; the rays of the sun warmed my skin and at this moment — life, nature, existence, could be described as nothing but good.
I moved faster along the water’s edge, pushing my arms and legs to drive me with purpose upon the earth’s surface.
This is the release I need to stay sane.
We all do in some capacity, for the sweat falling from my brow was the fear — the anxiety of everyday life.
Our fears are often irrational; yet the weight of existence is heavy — and we are only human.
Life feels like it’s moving impossibly fast and curiously slow. After the run I dove into the ocean like a jubilant pup, basking in its crisp, vivifying chill.
I’m being pulled in two directions: I can’t believe where time has gone; I look to the past; how is all of that life just a memory now?
I don’t know how to make sense of it, yet it also feels like nothing’s changed.
A new chapter is dawning, one that will bring more learning and growth than I’ve ever experienced. If all goes accordingly I'll be moving to Japan to teach English in September.
It's coming quick, and I don’t know if I’m ready.
I don’t even know what it means to be ready. But I feel something — a desire, a need to face my fears.
I’m afraid of dying, most of all, an irrational fear but a real one.
It’s not that I’m afraid of physically dying, although of course that fear is there — I’m afraid to leave this world, because this world, despite the flaws of existence and the inadequacies comprised in each of us, is so good.
It’s too good, the feeling of the ocean and the sand — the simplicities of life such as love, friendship, nature — those mysterious aspects of being which sustain us and are boundless.
The sun dips below the distant mountain, changing the colors of the sky where there’s no more white light but an awakening of nebulous, purple darkness.
I fear leaving this world, but to abide by our fear is to live in a way that doesn’t justify our every breath. There must be life beyond this earthly one.
But while I’m here, I hope to experience the rich magnitude of what it means to be human — perhaps that’s impossible without faith.
“Faith,” writes psychologist Jordan Peterson in 12 Rules for Life, “is not the childish believe in magic. That is ignorance or even willful blindness. It is instead the realization that the tragic irrationalities of life must be counterbalanced by an equally irrational commitment to the essential goodness of being.”
Faith is the belief that what we’re doing now will make the untold future brighter.
It’s an undue trust in the unseen forces which compose the nature of being.
It’s truly seeing our fellow human, because when we open our eyes, when we see one another, faults and all, we awaken the goodness of the human spirit fundamental to each of us.
Faith is the belief that pain is for a reason — that what we may experience now holds the key to future understanding.
Faith is the willingness, the courage, and the openness to face the world despite its dangers and the threat of the unknown.
As we roam the unknown, as we pay attention, we may realize that it contains more beauty than darkness, more love than hate.
Possibility is spun from the web of chaos, if only we’re willing to confront it.
Faith is giving yourself to something without the guarantee of success.
There’s nothing but a desire to reach the unreachable, a need to break from where you are.
This world can be disheartening, unforgiving and cruel. Yet so often the world we see is formed from our imagination.
As Peterson says: “The tragic irrationalities of life must be counterbalanced by an equally irrational commitment to the essential goodness of being.”
Why can’t we believe that the best possible thing will happen? That it’ll all work out? That we’ll persevere through whatever life puts in front of us?
Why shouldn’t we manifest our own reality and live a life that’s based on hope, love, trust — faith.
This isn’t naïve; it’s vital.
The stars will notice as you reach for them.
They will guide your steps, inspire your heart, and lift your spirits as you inevitably fall. That, to me, is a life worth living, one where every breath, every act, every dream, is justified.
Enjoy the stories from this week! 🍂
Medium Is Changing — Why Should We Care? I’m here to write. Nothing’s changed as far as I’m concerned...
Home Is the Passage of Love Reflections from my hometown on what home truly means... I Love You, Body A letter to the man in the mirror...
The Crippling Fear of Looking Dumb Does nothing but hold us back. A lesson from a Los Angeles dancefloor...
What I'm Reading:
This week I had author and world-traveler Melissa Jennewein on The Dare to Dream Podcast to discuss her book: Shadowed Soul: Wandering to find your inner compass
I read this book in just a few days, and honestly, it was a beautiful and inspiring read.
This book inspired much of the thought behind the article above on faith. Check out the book or listen to this week's podcast to hear more about her incredible eight years traveling the world.
Looking for your next favorite read? Check out my reading list!
Fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, classics & contemporary guidance--it's all there and grows every time I read a book that strikes a serious chord in me.
https://vincentvanpatten.com/reading-list/
Latest Episode: DTD #82: Embracing the Shadowed Soul with Melissa Jennewein
“I wanted to live,” writes Melissa Jennewein in her book Shadowed Soul: Wandering to Find Your Inner Compass. “Not just live, but understand what living meant… Something has to happen, or I’ll never know my soul.”
Shadowed Soul tells the tale of Melissa's eight years traveling the world after two devastating, simultaneous life events.
With little planning and massive trust, Melissa quit her job, packed a backpack, and leapt into the unknown to better understand her past, her inner world, and the planet we share.
She shines as an example of what is possible when we face our fears and confront our shadows with openness and faith.
In this episode of The Dare to Dream Podcast, Vincent and Melissa discuss what the shadowed soul is, and how we may confront it in ourselves, even without the ability to travel the world.
Yet, there’s something that happens when we travel—we’re continually confronted by the unknown, causing us to face our own vulnerabilities and preconceived notions. Melissa’s story will inspire you to find a way to get out there.
If the podcast makes your week a little brighter, please rate and review the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!
I hope this edition of Citoyens du Monde brought a smile to your face and some inspiration to your heart and soul. ❤️🔥
Have a beautiful weekend fam!
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