A Curveball

by Taylor West (United States of America)

A leap into the unknown Thailand

A year ago, I decided I was ready for a change. It was time for me to stop talking about ditching my 9-5 and traveling the world and time to finally take action.   A friend raved about Southeast Asia. I wasn’t sold on the idea. Sipping cappuccinos at a cafe in Europe is more my speed. However, after a little research and seeing the beautiful beaches, I was sold. I quit my job, (over)packed my carry-on and was on a one-way flight to Asia.   I had no clue of what the future held and zero idea of what to expect since I had never been to the continent before. Much to my surprise, I was instantly in love. I hopped around and eventually landed in Thailand, specifically in a little place called Chiang Mai. A plethora of coffee shops, strolling down streets with broken sidewalks, cheap street food and friendly locals. What’s not to love?!   I was shocked at how easy it was to adapt to life in Southeast Asia. No one is in a rush. The laid back atmosphere is what really sold me. I was loving life and finally living my dream.   A few months into my new life, at 6:28 am, life threw me a curve ball. I received a call from my older sister. My dad had an accident and wasn’t going to make it. I was baffled. My dad was the bulletproof man. Quite literally. He was shot in his younger years. The man was like a cat with nine lives but unfortunately, this was his last one.   At first, I thought about how my dad wouldn’t want me to leave my new life. He was my biggest supporter for my big move. However, after a few hours of consideration, I decided it was best for me to go home to be around friends and family. After 40 of the longest hours of my life, I finally made it to home sweet Austin, Texas. Friends and family greeted me with those hugs that say so much without a word being exchanged.   Jet lagged, emotionally exhausted and confused I was back home and settling into my new reality. I was back at square one. No plan, no vision and no clue what the future held for me.   The months following my dad’s passing have held the most amount of growth for me. Sure, I eat a little better and exercise more. But the real growth has been in how valuable and beautiful life truly is. I’ve heard some variant of this a million times but this time it finally got my attention. Life is short, whether you live to be 28 or 88. The years fly by and it seems they go faster the older you get. I appreciate the moments a lot more. I laugh a lot more. And I try to stop and see the big picture instead of getting hung up on small things that really won’t matter in a few years.   While returning home after only a few short months into my adventure wasn’t my plan, it was exactly where I needed to be. After the initial shock settled, I was able to dive back into life in Austin. I can finally see and appreciate the things that people find appealing about Austin. There’s always somewhere new to explore and someone new to meet. And there’s always beauty waiting to be discovered whether it’s in the form of a taco or a bluebonnet on the side of the highway.   I couldn’t have predicted the last four months. And I can’t predict the next four either. But one thing I do know is that I want to keep traveling, exploring and learning. Even though my original plan didn’t work out as planned, that’s okay. I feel more confident handling whatever life throws at me now. Things will not go as planned. That’s inevitable. Make a new plan. That probably won’t go as planned either. Just enjoy the ride whether you’re at home or halfway across the world. Just remember, it is truly a blessing to be alive and to be able to explore this beautiful world of ours.