Portrait 19: Get what you want today

I haven't spent a night outside in over a month, and it's really getting to me. I've been able to walk in a cemetery and a city park but that's it. I really need to get some stuff done right now. I've been working some odd jobs and grinding through some photography projects to raise money for the next big hike. I've also had a quick tour across the middle of the country: I stopped near Denver to chase love, I visited old friends in Saint Louis, and I've seen family in two different states. One night, I met two friends for a beer. We traded old tour stories, shared the dreams we had in our youth, and discussed how so many small moments shape the way we now approach the world.

One of the things constantly on my mind this year is that I need to focus on the small moments and fully appreciate my time. When I was in Missouri, I was staying in an empty apartment building that a friend owned. I didn't feel like going out, I didn't have internet, I didn't even have working electricity. One night, I was thinking about what I'd like to do with my time. I knew that what I really wanted was to write some stories, so I got my notebook and pen and sat down on the floor. There's nothing superficially exciting about something so simple.

But here's the beauty: It doesn't matter how simple it is. Despite the lack of all modern conveniences, I still enjoyed my evening.