Traveling Through Chaos, Masking the Pain

Date: October 2017

Location: Athens, Greece

Subject: Traveling through chaos, masking the pain

It's lovely to be back in Athens. The only unusual thing is that it took me a couple days to adjust into city mode. I say this is unusual because, normally from my first step off the suburban train I’m back in the game; head held high, war face on, while swiftly navigating the polluted concrete jungle, dodging chaos and broken minds.

This fucking economic crisis.

But that day, while traveling, pain and fatigue battled to get the best of me, though I dare not show it – Athens is not the place to appear vulnerable. I’ve observed that one has two choices in order to survive this city – look as equally lost, crazy, and exhausted as the other, a way of becoming invisible. Or, one must reach into their spirit, grab a handful of strength and shine it from every pore; confusion is a shield.

From train, to metro, to bus, I kept telling myself, I’m almost there. Everything is going to be OK.

So, here I am, a few days later, and I remember. With traveling alone, to my best friend's flat -that enriching surge of empowerment is back.

Nice to be reminded that all is not lost to brain lesions. Nice to have a sense of control.

And I have a secret

Today, I feel, I have much to share with the world.