Adventure 1; Part 2: Discovery Park – Goodbye, 2013. 

Is there any better way to spend the last day of the year than by discovering a new place in a foreign location?     I think not.

New Years Eve morning, we awoke ready to head on an adventure. We loaded in the Blazer and headed to Discovery Park. With the Minnesota winter being abnormally frigid and full of dark despair it felt like forever since I have been able to do any sort of hiking. I was pumped! 

When we arrived at the park, the sights of only a few people and dogs silently climbing and riding around in the wooden path comforted me. I grabbed my camera from my bag before C and I headed out into the cool Washington air. We wandered around the trails, stopping now and again for a few photos but mostly taking in our surroundings. The foggy morning prevented a crystal clear view of the city and Sound but I didn’t care. I was happy to be out and about, climbing and feeding my soul with the natural goodness of mother earth.

Through the trees, twisting around rocks and boulders we soon found ourselves on a sandy beach of driftwood and shells. There was a shelter of sticks set up on the beach and a few broken beer bottles loftily thrown aside. I could feel the smiles coming across both of our faces as we played like children on the beach. Picking up shells and searching for wild life was the perfect backdrop for our chats of love, life and everything in between.

“This summer we will come back,” Cerrissa promised me.

I felt she could sense my bittersweet agony that comes with traveling. For every place I find myself, I envision a life and ask myself, “Is this where I’m supposed to be?” I think my heart will forever be a little torn and broken. It falls in love with too many places that once I leave, I can never feel whole or the same again. I forever miss these places and yearn to see more.

With my eyes out in the waters we soon found ourselves near the lighthouse. We had a good laugh over how small the thing was! Not what I imagine lighthouses to look like. It was getting close one so we decided to head back to the car and try one of Seattle’s famous Dick’s burgers.

We ventured through the cloudy city, jamming along to way to a mix of Head and the Heart, Of Monsters and Men and Drake, ha! We found ourselves in Queen Anne at the Seattle famous “Drive-in” Dick’s Burgers. Now, I’m not usually a burger person- but I figured since it was Seattle, I would give it a try…. Not impressed. Sorry, Seattle lovers but the flat and cold burger was less than appeasing. To make up for our distaste we of course had to go find ourselves some New Years Eve cupcakes.

***

The afternoon was filled with some last minute shopping, cupcake dining and short nap taking. When we were finally showered and ready to celebrate the coming of a New Year we headed to our friend Frank’s house before heading to downtown.

We toasted, sang, danced and drank our way into the coming of 2014. Our group of course, got separated as soon as we made it to the bars but that didn’t stop Cerrissa and I from having a wonderful time. In fact, nothing was going to put a damper on my night. Not even being “escorted” out of the bar at 11:56 was going to ruin my fun.

The next morning when we awoke, Cerrissa was concerned.

“I’m sorry we had to leave before midnight. I hope you are okay, I was always told that how you celebrate the New Year is foreshadowing for how the next year will be spent.”

I thought for a moment before responding to her.

“There isn’t any other way I would have rather spent my evening. If 2014 means more time with my friends in places that I love, then bring on the New Year. I can’t wait”

You see, to me, it didn’t matter if we were in a stuffy bar with hundreds of people I didn’t know. I was perfectly happy to be in the truck with my best friend, watching the fireworks fill the sky with pinks and reds above the Space Needle when the clock struck midnight. All that mattered was the people I was with.

After all, turns out not where but who you’re with that really matters. 🙂