By: Mike Murphy, Transformations Manager of Alumni Services
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is easily one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s one of those movies that if I see it is on, I
am clearing my schedule. For the next hour and forty-three minutes, I am spoken for. And this quote stands out as one of the most popular in the movie. And it is a very quotable movie. And even though I would quote it fairly often (I was a bartender before getting sober and Movie quotes were a part of my uniform, pretty much), I failed to really GET IT.
Today’s world feels like one giant rat race. We’re just moving along at breakneck speed from one moment to the next. And even though we are living in these moments, they are fleeting. We don’t give ourselves the chance to enjoy them. To take the time to sit back and really reflect on them. And what it took for us to get to that point. And like an alcoholic, I robbed myself of A LOT of these moments. Either I wasn’t able to appreciate them or I didn’t even remember them. How shitty is it to be told an awesome moment you had, only to not remember it? That is insanity. It’s damn near self-inflicted torture!
Recently I found myself in Philadelphia for two days before a work conference in Maryland. For the longest time, I had wanted to visit Philadelphia. But, like a lot of things I wanted to do or places I wanted to go, it took a backseat to the bottle. So when I get the opportunity to make trips like these, I try and take full advantage of my time and gain experience from it. In my opinion, it is definitely a form of self-care, as well.
I definitely made the most of my time while in Philly. I ate ALL the foods (or at least made a valiant effort in doing so) and saw a lot of cool sites. But there was one spot I knew I needed to check out. Tun Tavern. Let me explain. Tun Tavern is no longer there. It has been gone for quite some time. And yes, it used to be a bar. It also happens to be the birthplace of The United States Marine Corps.
Sunday morning I got up early and made the walk to the location. It was a beautiful morning. Not a cloud in the sky and pretty quiet considering it is just outside downtown Philly. I picked up a cup of coffee and away I went. It was about a two-mile trek from my hotel. So I got to take in a lot along the way. As I got closer, I could feel my stomach getting a little tighter. I wasn’t sure if it was nerves, excitement, or what. And then I walked upon it. It isn’t anything special. A normal street marker, like many others they have around The City of Brotherly Love. But, that feeling in my stomach had now moved north to my chest, then my head. I was standing on hallowed ground. The wave of emotion that hit me, I was NOT expecting.
Emotion is not something that comes normally to me. And no, it’s not because I am some Billy Badass Marine. I have
a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in an area of mine that can affect emotional regulation. (And, well, I’m also kind of a badass if anyone is asking). But, I couldn’t help but just stand there, staring at it. I placed my hand on it. And I thought of all the other Marines that have been at this location. Every feeling I can think of came to me at that moment. But, pride and gratitude stood above the rest. The pride I was sensing came in two different forms. Obviously, my pride in being a United States Marine was one. The other was my sense of pride in being present for this moment. This moment in time. This moment of emotion never could have happened had I not made the decision to get and REMAIN sober. That feeling of gratitude. The gratitude that I was alive and able to make this trip. The gratitude that this will be a memory I will always have to hold and carry with me. And to share with others. I was completely present in that moment. And all because of one decision I decided to make that would drastically affect the rest of my life.
That two-mile walk back to the hotel turned into an almost four-mile walk back. My mind was racing but in a good way. The feelings I had, were like some I had not felt in quite some time. And I was thoroughly enjoying the ability to process them. I needed this. I needed this reminder that what I am doing is the right thing. And that I am exactly where I need to be.
This moment also set the tone for the conference I was about to attend. I went in there with a sense of purpose, motivation, and pride. To the point that I kept telling people at this conference about the little pre-trip I took. And little did I know that it was inspiring some people. I met a guy named Marc there (or as well called him, DGB, for his dinner order of extra green beans both nights) who after listening to me talk about the experience I made for myself, decided to plan a little trip for himself, as well. If for nothing more than to just enjoy himself. After he told me that, it reassured me that everything happens for a reason, and we are right where and when we need to be.
In closing….Get out there and live your life. Live your moments. Enjoy the emotions of it all. Enjoy the solitude of
moments in deep reflection. Enjoy where you have come from and where you are going. Everything you have done in life, good or bad, will bring you some pretty amazing experiences. It will make you feel. Trust it. Learn from it. And share it with others to enjoy, as well.
Just as I am going to share this with you……The fact that Philadelphia is known for the cheesesteak is a damn travesty. How this is possible when you have the roast pork sandwich from DiNic’s and John’s in the same city is beyond me. So much so, I contemplated getting a roast pork sandwich tattoo to go with my other food tattoos. Relax, Mom. I didn’t do it. Yet.
Stop and take a look around, friends.
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