What’s up, everybody? Been a while since I posted here, but as I’m traveling and have more time, I figured I’d try to get back into the habit of writing.
Today is Day 5 of my European trip, and we’ve been spending our time in Istanbul, Turkey. I’ve fallen in love with this city; the history, the culture, and the people make it an incredible place to be and live. I’ll get around to posting pictures later, so keep an eye out for those.
Today my family and I took a Bosphorus cruise, and it was the inspiration for my blog post.
Above is the route we took (Full Bosphorus Tour), and at our final destination on the first half of the cruise, Anadolu Kavağı, we disembarked and set off to see Yoros Kalesi. Originally settled by the Phoenicians and Greeks prior to the Byzantines, it overlooks the confluence of the Bosphorus and Black Sea. The view was absolutely incredible and was a great spot to sit and reflect, which paved the way for the title of this blog.
As we began the second part of the cruise it was obvious that most people were wiped out from the hike, so the boat was fairly quiet. I found a spot by the railing and took in the view as we made our way back to the mainland. Now, I’ve tried meditating on and off for the last 6 months or so. Obviously, it hasn’t worked. I’d say the main reason for that is because I haven’t been consistent with it, so it was naive to expect results of any kind. So, when it happened today you can imagine how shocked I was after it passed.
Yep. That’s right. I finally meditated, and it was an incredible feeling. With the wind in my face, and the sound of crashing waves in my ear, I found my inner peace. For those 5-10 minutes I had absolutely nothing on my mind. Emotions? Nope. Thoughts? Nope. I was there. I existed in that moment, and it was pure bliss.
Why am I writing this? If you’re thinking I found the magical formula to successfully meditate, sorry, I don’t have it. I’m writing this to ask you to try meditation. It’s frustrating and hard, but when you finally do it, the feeling is surreal. When I broke my meditation, I had a clear mind and profound appreciation for everything around me. It made me value life, and moments like that keep me going.
So I ask you, for your sake, to try meditation or to simply find your quiet place. A place that you can go away to and come back stress free, with a positive perspective on life and one that helps you spread those genuine smiles.
Cheers,
Sina
Fear not the darkness 