California Waiting by Scavenger Hunt

“Hey! California Waaaaaiting . . .”  A cover of Kings of Leon’s “California Waiting”, sung by one of my most favorite underground bands, Scavenger Hunt.  Locales of Venice, CA, their vibe of swimming and swaying fills my heart with all the joy needed to survive anywhere.  Maybe just the love embedded in the word “California” keeps me diving under wave-after-wave in life, or maybe it’s the memories attached to the word that free me of all negativity whenever it arises.

Recently, I mapped out a night run around the Capital and the Monuments.  What looks beautiful in the day, is magical at night.  The monuments are lit up like mystical figures of history’s timeline.  The people walking about are fearless and content.  Neighbors of all kinds – from the congressman trying to keep focus on what’s important, to the families taking their nightly walk, down to the local female teacher burning off doubts and frustration – we all pace around the monuments appreciating the presence of the monuments and the stars above.

Approaching the Washington Monument is my favorite part.  Just as you think the path beyond this beacon of light is too scary or dark, you catch a glimpse of the Water Fountain just before the Lincoln Memorial.  The water dances across the fountain and brings your attention to all of the state names engraved into the walls surrounding this pool of historical flavor.  Some people are captured by the sight of such dancing water, some are walking passed it the way Californians walk passed the ocean water – so used to it.

As you enter this glowing vicinity, it reminds you of those splash parks for kids where the parts surrounding it should be made of some kind of rubber concrete to avoid slipping.  To avoid any mishaps, especially as a runner, I decide to go up to where the state names are aglow by the spotlights placed strategically around this memorial.  I allowed the Holy Spirit to guide the rest.  Sure enough, with a deep consensus of wanting to find “California” amongst the list of states, I came across the state names that reminded me of dear friends back at home.  First, “Oklahoma”, then “Colorado”, then “Alabama”… a sense of a thick cry came up and just before tearing up, there it was … “California” … waiting for me, like Jack waiting for Rose at the top of the staircase in Titanic.

I ran up to it and glazed my fingers across the words slowly as I switched from running with excitement to jogging with respect, as if it meant more to touch it gracefully than to simply read it to myself.  “Goin’ so fast, that I can’t slow down; it’s hard to get up when you’re spinnin’ ‘round and ‘round,” Scavenger Hunt reaffirms on my iPod as I soak in each letter like Braille.  I LOVE you California, and you are here with me like a piece of the Survivor Kit.  But – the cool part is, YOU, California, are applicable everywhere – and now I know it.

“Can’t I get back to my lonely life?”  Lonely being a concept only of the past, or of recovering from such a traumatic event.  No longer does this word linger in my veins or haunt me in the future.  It’s all about now, about teaching, about friendship, about family, about the reality right in front.

I hope wherever you are, you can find the California Love from within and apply it to your life, making you full of joy and able to completely live in the present.  This love I have for where I come from, has made me that much more appreciative of all the new pieces of life coming my way and completely open to evolving when I am afraid to evolve.  What is your California?  What aspects of life make you turn to it?  Whatever it is, pull out California and soak yourself in it.  Then, go AT LIFE with all the love and positivity possible to embrace the beauty of life.

Life can either be a mix of good and bad, only good, or only bad.  If that is the case, choose only good – after all, IT IS, an option.

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“California Waiting”

Cover of Kings of Leon’s “California Waiting”

by:  Scavenger Hunt

Little Mona Lisa laying by my side
“Crimson and Clover” pullin’ overtime
Seem too close to be losin’ touch
By givin’ in, what am I givin’ up
Am I losin’ way too much

Hey
California waiting
Every little thing’s gotta be just right
Say
While you’re tryin’ to save me
Can’t I get back my lonely life

I’m goin’ so fast that I can’t slow down
It’s hard to get up when you’re spinnin’ round and round
I’d tell you the news but nothin’s changed
I’d sing you a song but they blew it away
All wrapped up in this stupid game

Hey
California waiting
Every little thing’s gotta be just right
Say
While you’re tryin’ to save me
Can’t I get back my lonely life
Can’t I get back my lonely life