Lost and Found

The title of this entry makes me think of a lot of stuff. Back when I was active in the church, we went to a youth group meeting in San Diego where a band called Lost & Found played, they are a Christian band that specializes in covers of others songs and making them into a religious song. They were a big part of me for a few years of my life.

It also reminds me of a puppy that we (Ashley, Mark, Zack, and I) recently found on the road, we only had her for a day but it reminded me of how sporadic and spontaneous life can be; that no matter how dull it may seem, ALL life, ALL human experience has some form of spontaneous combustion or spontaneous eruption, whichever term you prefer. It doesn't matter how mundane or ordinary your life is, at some point in all of our lives we are privileged enough to experience the randomness and beauty that is human existence. We all have a very specific purpose in life and it's the little things, like finding a lost dog in the middle of the night, that provides us the break from the norm and that reminds us that all is not lost; that no matter how simple and boring a life we may lead, we all can find excitement and electricity in everyday occurrences.

Now for some updates for whoever may be reading this somewhere in blog-land. I no longer do Jiu-Jitsu, though I want to once I move back to Bellingham. I am about to get my degree from CWU in Law & Justice, I still have a wonderful girlfriend whom I fear I sometimes under-appreciate, I have a terribly appreciative and loving family who love me despite whatever flaws I have, I have great friends that will stick with me though the thick and thin, I know what I want to do in my life and I am on the path to achieve that goal, and I manage to reign in all of that while still having time to enjoy being young and having the opportunity to experience what I want to experience.

I have become more of a fan of red wine than I ever thought possible. Whereas 2 years ago I had a disdain for the aroma and taste of beer, I now rather like it, and in fact I consider myself somewhat of a beer aficionado. Though I am aware I have much to learn about the subject, I am considerably interested in the formation of beer and the distinct flavors and styles that are possible though differences in fermentation techniques.

Over my 2 years at Central, I have met some people that I never wish to contact again. However, I have also met some people who I would consider long-term friends. How lucky am I that I would find some random people through luck of the draw that I can find not only common ground with but have common interests and similar world views.

I initially titled my blog "Accidental Thoughts", but after thinking it through recently, I have come to the conclusion that nothing in life is accidental; that events in our lives happen because of decisions that we make, and that whatever happens because of our decisions, we must live with the consequences. It is all a pattern of sorts, and nothing is left to chance. Every decision, from the choice of whether to lift weights or not, to what classes we take, to where we go to dinner, will influence our lives negatively or positively, and we as adults need to take control of our lives and we need to take responsibility for our lives.

I want to say that I am where I am today because I got lucky. I was lucky enough to be born to a relatively stable family, I was lucky enough to be blessed with a brain that was capable of processing complex thought, and I was lucky enough to find good friends to enrich my life. Nothing about my life or my situation was accidental; I am simply lucky to have been born as what I am, and I am forever grateful for whatever cosmical force provided me with such resources.

In Peace,

Aaron Bean