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Laura Hansen's avatar

I cancelled my plans to attend a poetry conference this weekend for no reason or just because of the "getting there" part of the trip. I know once I arrived I would have been fine and happy to see my poet friends, but I stayed home and wrote a poem about solitude instead. I'm glad you are working your way out of the home/away from home conundrum.

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Priya Iyer's avatar

Apologies for the late reply, Laura! I love that you “stayed home and wrote poem about solitude instead!” Such poetry right there! Thank you for sharing!

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Rebecca Barry's avatar

I'm not sure what arrival means to me, but I love hearing you explore what it means to you!

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Priya Iyer's avatar

Rebecca, I’ve been traveling, so haven’t been able to reply earlier. I often wonder about what arriving somewhere or arrival in the context of a journey means. Since we can safely say there is no happily ever after, arrival I think is a a new attitude or a new way of experiencing life. Thanks!

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Sid Das's avatar

Loved reading this. My arrival ritual is to step out immediately as soon as check into the new hotel for my first plate/bowl of food. Nothing symbolises arrival than the energy I feel eating at an authentic place in my destination. It tells me to be excited, careful and be present all at once.

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Priya Iyer's avatar

My apologies for the late reply! That sounds wonderful, to take in the energy of life in new surroundings. Thank you for sharing!

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Camilla Sanderson's avatar

I love the vulnerability in your writing Priya. How you're sharing both your interiority in addition to the exteriority of the journey. And I love learning about how your transformation was not exactly what you expected, but it's okay, nonetheless. Beautiful♥️🙏🕊️

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Priya Iyer's avatar

Camilla, thank you so much for your kind comment!

I’m traveling and haven’t had the chance to write to you yet about my Pacifica experience. Will do so as soon as possible!

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Camilla Sanderson's avatar

Oh wow Priya! I didn't know you had a Pacifica experience. I'm looking forward to hearing more in due time. Safe travels and May you have lots of 'funenjoy'🥰♥️🙏🕊️

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Stephanie Sweeney's avatar

More space inside is such a lovely way to put that feeling of being unexpectedly okay.

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Priya Iyer's avatar

Stephanie, thank you for articulating it so well. The unexpectedness of being okay was strange and took some getting used to.

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Michael Edward's avatar

A great post Priya.

I have to second what Camilla said about your writing being so open and vulnerable. I absolutely love how you will share your inner world with us in a way where you don’t try to justify or explain your thoughts and feelings. Instead, you invite us to ponder what they might mean with you. It is a very welcome style of writing. :)

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Priya Iyer's avatar

Michael, thank you. It means a lot to me. I like to write without adding too many details because i think so many of our experiences are about the same things: love, loss, grief, joy. Thanks, again!

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Michael Edward's avatar

I totally agree. Thanks Priya :)

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Savita Krishnamoorthy's avatar

Serendipitously, I read this post just hours before my son leaves for an internship this summer.

At this stage in my life, my sense of arrival is when my son comes home from uni, or when I go visit him. The feelings of these arrivals are always filled with excitement, gratitude, and something in my heart that I am unable to articulate well in words.

So different from the other arrivals I have experienced in the past - anxiety, exhaustion, curiosity, anticipation, even freedom! Thank you for inspiring this reflection.🙏🏽

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Priya Iyer's avatar

Savita, thank you for sharing. It's so great to see the different shades of arrival. I can resonate with all of it. When I wrote this post last month, I was in total awe that I'd finally arrived at a point in my life where an early hurt was finally healed and that arrival could be the absence of something rather than a gaining. As always, thank you for your company! I've been writing on the internet for nearly 17 years and if I am not mistaken, I think we must've connected online about 10-15 years ago?

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Savita Krishnamoorthy's avatar

“[..]that arrival could be the absence of something rather than a gaining”…I love this!

Yes, I think close to over 12 years or so. You know how much I loved OUATT!🥰 Your writing is always so thoughtful, authentic, and warm, like a hug in words.

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Priya Iyer's avatar

So lovely to connect with you! Thank you for your kind words and for your company! It’s much appreciated!

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