Becoming

August 15, by M.

Here I am, sitting under the evening sun in the Alps on a terrace overlooking the burnt walls and windows of chalets dating 400 years ago.  The cobble stone streets weave steeply beneath windowsills draping with geranium.  

12 years in Los Angeles has swept by, a breath, a wave on the beach, and yet a life-time.  I became a father in LA, I became many things there and so did my wife. We grew up on those congested freeways, in the suburbs of Altadena.  We played in those mountains, on those beaches, riding those waves.  A decade of our lives. We made friends there, friendships that rival family, that have marked who we are and will continue to pull at our hearts like the moon to ocean tides. Though our bodies have drifted away, our hearts remain with you, we cannot forget you. So I sit here today, blessed, but also wondering why we are here, why did we leave our Los Angeles home?  Why did we leave the friends, school, jobs and all that we love to do and are able to do there?     

   I am reminded of this lovely quote,  “ I believe that being is becoming. The process of becoming something you are not is the essence of life and existence and purpose, all rolled together.  It’s what we were meant to do. You can have a billion dollars to your name, a wonderful family and terrific friends, but if you are not on the path of becoming, you are not on the path of life.” (Breaking Seas, by Glenn Damato)

  We had become comfortable in Los Angeles. By our standards we were wealthy. We did not have to be too concerned about where our money was going, and therefore it was going. It was too scattered and we were loosing a harvest.  I was becoming complacent in my work, lacking zeal and passion. It was becoming old. The meetings, the paperwork, the attitudes of my students, the demands of the state all began to loose their meaning, I was becoming disillusioned, and too comfortable. In my comfort I began to lack creativity and passion. Our garage was too damn full even after much was burnt from a fire due to lightening.  We had too much stuff.  I realized when we liquidated most of our belongings how much we had that we didn’t use.  I discovered that even unused stuff still takes a toll on our peace of mind.  It’s just there, laying around, taking physical and mental space.   

  Coming to Switzerland is really about becoming; becoming uncluttered, becoming closer, becoming bilingual, becoming more spiritual, becoming more like Christ, becoming more alive, becoming still, becoming more present, becoming richer in experience, becoming more aware, becoming less ignorant.