Do the memories grow sweeter with time? Why is it that looking back at photos, I feel almost more happy than how I felt at that moment in time just a few weeks, months ago? Maybe it was just hard to fully comprehend the situations I was in because the idea of those situations in my mind seemed so much more extraordinary than my life in reality. Its a testament to how powerful the mind is, how someone's narrative of reality can fluctuate so much person to person (I hope you're proud, Perkins). For so long leading up to the trip, "going to Europe" was seen by me and others as this incredible life experience, and of course it was, but when you are actually in Europe... you're just.. in Europe. The same you. I find the experiences gain clarity and significance later in story form (I believe in the importance of being able to tell a good story... maybe that'll be another post). You can't expect this immediate change of personality from going out and being enlightened by different cultures. It might be easy to be disappointed in yourself after a long trip like that to come back and feel no different, and its probably common to even try really hard to enact some sort of change in yourself when you are away so that when you are home, people notice. I didn't feel considerably different coming home, but people told me I seemed much more "calm, chill, relaxed".. I know, beats me too, my nickname my whole life has been Laidback Lauren.. how I became more so, I only have a few guesses.
All this to say, "Congrats, you were right" to all those people who told me I'll never regret this gap year... not that I ever doubted them ;)
"Old things are more beautiful,
more precious day-by-day.
Because they are the flowers
we planted yesterday."
~Clay Harrison
