You’re late. Good thing not many people stay in the hotel lobby anymore. Let’s take a seat first and enjoy this jazz.
Music has its way of putting people in a trance, yes? Especially jazz.
It holds your hand, guides you toward thoughts of black and gold, spiral staircases, fine wine, a beautiful life. It also saves you from today’s crippling news banners of war, terrorism, toxic comment sections, eathqua… OK, I’ll stop right there. On with the music.
Have you been up late? Then take a moment to breathe. Close your eyes and soak this in. Listen to how the saxophone sways and caresses. Hear how the piano sounds like gentle, melodic raindrops. Everything seems like a calm sea. All blue, all deep.
Enjoy it. Not much news has been enjoyable lately, anyway. There’s so much pain. But we’re not here for that. Forget about what I said. Let’s carry on. Outside for fresh air, maybe?
Walking helps when things go south. It clears the mind of the bad stuff. Is it because of the rhythm of footsteps to which the heart can beat at a steady pace? Is it because of the preoccupation the activity provides? Or is it the sights and sounds we pick up along our path? Either way, walking helps.
What’s deleterious about staying still is the threat of negativity catching up. Stay seated for too long and you’ll grow the itch to pick up your phone, or look at the TV, or flip your laptop. That’s when things start to turn sour. We’re all too…connected these days.
Connected to the things we don’t have to know, like what Tita Baby ate or what Tito Boy wore; and connected to the things we need to know but hurts. There’s just too much of the latter lately that it has become confusing.
But let’s talk about something else suitable to the beauty of today’s sun. It’s a nice day; let’s stick to that mood.
Hotels really do pick the best locations, smack in the middle of the nicest things. Let’s take stroll down that peaceful street. It’s been a while since I’ve heard birds chirp and children sing. This definitely is a much better sound than hearing death toll updates.
By the way, what’s up with you lately? I’m sure there must be something worth remembering, a ray of light that pierces through dark clouds.
From my end, I had a funny encounter with Forrest Gump last week. Yes, that Forrest Gump. Well, first, my friend invited us over dinner at Bubba Gump, the shrimp-serving restaurant that was inspired by the iconic 1994 movie. Then, while I was enjoying the comforts of a hotel bed last week, the film came on television. I needed something to watch aside from the news, of course.
I almost forgot how good the movie was. Forrest’s accent always made me “sma-yil,” Bubba’s death once brought me to tears, and Jenny’s unfortunate life opened my eyes. More important, Forrest Gump is a story of hope.
Yes, the story is a work of fiction, but it’s inspiring nonetheless. There’s this guy who had no business of succeeding at any level, and yet, he did so. Never did he use the phrase “stupid is as stupid does” as an excuse. It was always an explanation.
Watching it made me smile. People need to find their own reasons to do so these days, don’t you think?
It seems everything has become too limiting. We need to find our ways to carry on, like how Forrest did.
Anyway, I’m sorry for keeping you long. Hope our walk was worth your while. Just remember to take a few steps whenever you feel like it. It helps. Till the next stroll.