Aimee’s World Tour

It may have been sensationalized as hell.

 It may sound like the plot of a bad Hollywood movie.

And maybe there are too many people selling Never Forget paraphenalia to tourists visiting the city.

But the truth is that it DID happen.

Everyone around here knows someone who knew someone.

And no, we’re not gonna forget.

Not today.

Not any other day. 

Every time I enter Port Authority I literally pause at the mini memorial located next to the escalators across from one of those magazine-candy shops.

And I remember.

9.11.2001

A marathon of public transportation and 34 hours later my mother is out on the driveway welcoming me home, trying to carry my heaviest piece of luggage. I give her my purse. It’s good to be back.

I had put a lot of pressure on myself in Thailand regarding studying and attending bootcamp. So much so that I ended up accomplishing nothing. Even more than stressed and confused, I was hungry for home. And yes, now here I am.

I really needed to touch home base.  Sometimes you have to go awfully far to realize that.  And then when you get what you wished for, all of a sudden you’re clawing to get out, to get to your next adventure.

Being home in New Jersey brings so many positives!  However it also has its handicaps.  No car. No public transport.    More or less stranded.  Leaves this world traveler a little pent up.  But then I realize – I’ve got my sneakers.  My ladies US size 8.5 adidas running shoes. 

As my feet pounded the pavement of Pompton Lakes around 2 am, I wondered what in the world I was up to.  Was I really going to get this certification?  Would I ever publish an article? And could I really lose this 35 pounds?  The more I ran, the more the stress melted away. 

Running has always made me feel better.  And in more than once sense of the word.  Whether it’s pumping endorphins or changing addresses, I run. 

Running can either help you find yourself or get you lost.  It’s not always the answer.    There are many sprained ankles, many failed attemps along the way.  It’s up to you to figure out when to run, where to run and how to run. 

And so I always have a pair of sneakers by my side, just in case.

August 25, 2010 I'm exhausted. Yes, I know I'm jet-lagged. And yes I just went hard at bootcamp the last two days. But it's more than that. Back in the beginning of August I just wanted to return home. I was ... [Continue reading this entry]