Audrey: Timing is everything.

Audrey and Ainsley

"Let yourself move to the next chapter when the time comes. Don't remain on the same page."

In a previous blog I wrote about the magic of timing so not to repeat that blog I want to reiterate my beliefs and love of timing. I came across the above quote while mindlessly scrolling through twitter. In a different part of my life I may have over looked the significance of this saying yet I could not have read it at a better time.

Some may already know but after leaving South Africa a few of us decided to travel Europe. now two months ago this seemed like the best idea I could ever have but two weeks approaching the trip I was dreading every single minute of the trip. In my mind it was either I stay In Cape Town or I go home to wallow in the fact that I was no longer in South Africa. But ging into things with such a negative attitude is not normally my style as I am a firm believer in mind over matter so while flying to London I attempted to fill my mind with many positive thoughts and why it was a good idea to do a two week stay in Europe. For the first couple days this worked but as time went on I found myself comparing everything to ZA and how South Africa is ten times better. If that doesn't sound like a way to put a damper on a trip I don't know what does.

I realized that this approach to the trip was not going to make it any better; I was having a great time and I was seeing many beautiful things they were just different. But what's wrong with different? Isn't this what I was learning all semester. Nothing is wrong with different. 

So lesson number one I learned from this trip is that it is okay to recognize the difference between places but it is don't okay to believe that one place is better than another. Every place has a different history, atmosphere/environment and demography that causes it to be the way it is. 

Lesson number two is that living in the past and wallowing about not being there anymore is going to hurt me much more than it will help me. So yes I have the right to love South Africa, to cherish every memory made, person met and lesson learned but I do not have the right to believe that I will never have an experience like it ever again.

So am I happy I went to Europe? Absolutely yes. I had ten days to spend with my aunt learning and experiencing a new culture. I had time to reflect on my experience in Cape Town. I had time to recognize what may be my challenges when back in the US. Europe was the perfect cushion before going back to my life in the US. 

Timing is everything.