An American Adventure Redux

Well, I am off to the Silicon Valley for a week (hard to believe I can say that - it gives me goosebumps). I'm sometimes torn about travelling - on one hand it's exciting to be in a technology hub like Palo Alto, working side-by-side with people who are both amazingly talented and (gasp) nice; on the other hand, I do like the peace of picturesque Victoria, and I love staying close to my mom.

 

Though I wish I could say it is truly peaceful. Just beyond my computer monitor is a view of the backyard - birch trees and garry oaks set against a sky that is by turns blue and grey. But rarely do I notice these things -- mostly my attention is riveted on some computer code on the monitor; my heart is drawn deeply inwards, away from the sunlight and the seagulls, silently brooding over puzzles of logic on the computer screen.

 

There is so much in life to be noticed - beautiful moments, pathetic moments, lost in the whirlwind of routine. Even the intricate programming that receives so much of my focus has a beauty that I often do not notice - and their solutions especially have beauty that I neglect to savour. There is so much potential joy in what I am doing and yet it is often in danger of being smothered by the details-oriented, anxious part of me. The key is to be joyful in the details.