Yesterday as I’m sure many of you know was Free Comic Book Day (Nerds unite!) and needless to say I wanted to go explore what DC comic book stores had to offer. I was planning on going with a couple friends but they ended up not being able to make it. Did that stop me from going out? Hells no! For whatever reason, I have very few qualms about going out and doing things on my own when I have made up my mind (even when that involves wearing lots of superhero memorabilia). Maybe it’s because I’m an only child and have always been comfortable with amusing myself or my slight stubborn streak. But I like to think that it means I am getting much better at seizing opportunities when they are presented to me to get out and explore and see what the world has to offer. This is quite easy to do in DC, where there is usually something going on every weekend, Free Comic Book Day being the most recent example.
But I’ve done this with other things too, especially when it gives me a chance to explore either nature or humanity. During one of the crazy snowstorms we had here I went out to Theodore Roosevelt Island and took pictures of the snow-covered landscape. It was blissfully quiet there and it was wonderful to be out in nature, especially in the snow which this winter aside doesn’t happen that much around here. Not long after that, I went to Arlington Cemetery because I had never been and decided paying my respects to those brave men and women was long overdue. Like the Island, it was quiet and snow-covered when I went to Arlington Cemetery but here I also got to think about concepts that I know of but don’t fully understand, such as sacrificing one’s life for one’s country. I take it as no coincidence that these two trips were the main times I saw my spirit animal the red-tailed hawk, which I wrote about previously. These solo journeys are almost like my walkabouts and if I tend to have a spirit guide so much the better.
While Free Comic Book Day is not as profound as these, I was nonetheless learning new things about myself. By going out I got to appreciate more of this beautiful city that I live in (including the rare occurrence of going to U St in the day time aka not to happy hour). I fully intend to more thoroughly explore Union Station Metro, which is a stunning architectural marvel that before I had given little thought to. What is more, I am now able to expand my horizons when it comes to comic books. By taking the initiative and going out to these locally run shops I can not only look for new artists to get excited about but also patron them rather than buy comics I already enjoy from Amazon or other big conglomerates.
In addition to treating myself to some new comics I also went to the movies by myself to see Spiderman 2. I’ve gone to the movies by myself several times, usually when friends don’t have time or have already seen the movie in question. I’ve always found it silly when people are like “oh that’s sad” when I tell them that I have done that. No, it’s not. I am here because I want to enjoy this movie not because I’m sad and alone. Instead I see it as empowering; I’m doing something for myself that will enrich my life (or at the very least entertain me).
Like my solo walks, going to the movies by myself allows me to take time for me, which in a world like today’s where we are always connected is healthy and quite often necessary to stay sane. In fact, tomorrow I instead to get up before the sun and go sit with Abe at the Lincoln Monument to watch the sun rise. I have always wanted to this but excuses (usually sleep) have gotten in the way. But given the apathy I have been feeling recently about all the stresses that will come after graduation I feel like another solo date is needed. After all they say that you need to love yourself first in order to be good for others, so taking myself out to make sure everything is alright with myself is a great way to do this. And taking in the beauty of nature with one of my favorite presidents doesn’t hurt either. I might even treat myself to a huge breakfast after; I am, after all, not a cheap date. 😉
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