journal
Infinite
USA
California
July 14, 2021

It's easy to forget where I am in this world, falling victim to the daily hustle and bustle, a regularity in programming of procrastinated schedules and self-imposed tasks that likely lack measurable significance. I notice that the challenges of my everyday, no matter how hard or easy they may be, accumulate seemingly independent of the efficiency I put forth, perhaps because of a default inclination to seek two new tasks for every one that I successfully complete. Thankfully, I do catch myself before drifting too far into this comfortable but endless rhythm. The ever-present pull of photography, the greater outdoors and my own tangible goals point me back on the right path.

And in this recent pursuit of that ideal and grounded motivation, I once again came face to face with a true reminder of all that is, but this time within a new embodiment, illuminating itself in the twinkle of stars that pave crisscrossed paths across the Milky Way. I stared in wonder at the universe and of the infinite landscape as if my inquisitive gaze could be enough to acknowledge the existence and implications of the worlds beyond ours. The reminder is more than reprioritizing life's factors-it's also a message that if I feel lost at any point, I need only look up at night sky to remember that limitless feeling, and that all that is needed is what I have at any given moment.

Even now, as I return to customary life out of sight from those faithful stars, I can picture myself trekking through the darkness, feeling the desert breeze traversing the mountainous topography just to greet me with welcomed friendliness. The constellations shift in constant motion, revealing familiar acquaintances on the horizon as their opposed counterparts sink in into distant lands. The whispers of wind through the shrubs and the faint sounds of nocturnal fauna remind me of the abundance of life beyond what I can see, and I listen intently between my footsteps atop shifting rock slabs en route to the peak.

So, the next time you look for an answer that can't be found so easily in your own daily routine, I suggest looking toward the stars. Even for a moment, a glance at the vastness of our universe may leave you with a persisting hint towards the direction you truly seek.