During my drive northwest, I was listening to Zadie Smith's On Beauty, and though I was enthralled by the narrative, I felt compelled to turn it off once I hit the oceanfront portion of the drive. I've seen that landscape countless times before, but this time it gripped me in a surprising way. The Channel Islands seemed much larger, the ocean much more expansive, and the sun much brighter, perhaps because of the haze. It was all so much more than I remembered. Observing nature in this way, a way that felt entirely new, brought to light what would be the intention for my trip, what I hoped to learn from my time in Santa Barbara--to approach life with a renewed curiosity.
As it turns out, Jeremy's dog, Bonnie, was my best instructor for how to cultivate that sense of curiosity. Bonnie is a rescue dog, about two years old, part Pit and part mixture of other breeds.
She is the sweetest, most affectionate dog, full of an energy I have never experienced before. For example, she frantically licked my face as she jumped up high enough from the floor to greet me with kisses, and this ensued for at least five minutes after my arrival. And every time I headed to another level in the apartment, Bonnie raced me up or down the stairs, nearly knocking me over with her exuberance. Bonnie's enthusiasm and excitement was infectious, and I imbibed it, knowing its powers would help me fulfill my intention for the weekend.
One thing I knew I wanted to do during my visit was to walk the Labyrinth, a maze whose path is constructed with stones. To the center and out is 0.6 miles, and it is designed to bring its walkers into a state of meditation and contemplation. It sits at the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean at UCSB.
After a kale smoothie from Silvergreen's, we ventured to campus, where I walked the path of the Labyrinth. The design had its intended effect on me, for I entered a state of deep contemplation. Journeying forth in silence, I kept getting confused by the course of the path... there were times when I approached the center, the goal, and then there were times I veered farther away from it, which seemed senseless and even frustrating. Then I noticed the footprints of walkers before me, and they gave me faith to continue on, to trust the path and follow where it leads. I also noticed that even though I was never in the same place twice, there were several points along the way when the road looked familiar, similar, if not identical, to a place I had already been. Though the stones were each unique, they were all made of the same material, all laid in their place by the same hand. I took lessons from these observations, applied them to a larger trajectory, reminding myself that in all arenas of life, lessons await if only I take the time to see, contemplate, and imbibe.
After my time in the Labyrinth, I joined Jeremy and Bonnie on their trail adventures, scaling the hills around the ocean and the nearby pond.
For dinner, Jeremy and I went to a tapas restaurant called Milk and Honey. We shared an array of delicious appetizer-size plates, my favorites of which included the bacon-wrapped dates drizzled with honey and the toasted Brie with caramelized onions and apples in a balsamic reduction. The ambiance also made the meal more enjoyable, since there were draped curtains and lit candles throughout the space. I highly recommend this spot, thought it might be better suited for a romantic date!
The next morning, Jeremy, Bonnie, and I hiked up the trail at Inspiration Point, where I saw one of the most stunning views of the ocean I have ever seen. Because the mountains there hover over the sea, it reminded me of being in Hawaii or on some other island where the two worlds collide effortlessly. Though it was a strenuous hike and a bit hot because of the high sun, it was one of the best instructors for fulfilling my intention. Silence again found me, as I needed to keep quiet to preserve and balance my breath. This silence brought with it contemplation, where I studied nature all around me. The scenery invited deep appreciation, seeing wild overgrowth, powerful rock slides, and stunning ocean views. In short, the name of the hike suited it perfectly, for I was nothing less than completely inspired. And Bonnie again instructed me, showing me the way in all things. Her curiosity amazed me--she was investigating every nook and rock with a sense of wonder and delight, she greeted all hikers with a sense of joy and friendliness, and she welcomed all dogs with a sense of playfulness and intrigue. I couldn't help but follow her lead in all respects (well, save the sniffing of other dogs), adopting all she had to teach me and doing my best to take it in, to make it part of me, to let it change how I see the world and others and myself.
The afternoon ended with a delicious meal at The Natural Cafe, which I recommend to any visitors of Santa Barbara. As the name suggests, they serve food that is responsibly raised, cooked, and prepared.
All in all, I take away the value of silence, contemplation, and following the invaluable instruction of nature and animals, as they never lead astray. And my mission to cultivate curiosity was fulfilled beyond what I had even imagined, probably because of the very nature of curiosity, which took me into realms I hadn't anticipated going, forced me out of my comfort zone a bit, and taught me to see all things anew, to marvel at all life.
