Atlanta: Day 1

A thick blanket of fragrant humidity envelops my body in a familiar and comforting grasp; I happily find myself in a paradise where night’s cloak reveals the melodious treasure of a forest orchestra serenading me through pianos and fortes of chirps and hisses. This place vibrates with music and color; the dazzlement of my senses is only dampened by the heavy moisture that lingers on the air, compressing my soul in on itself like a heavy brick, a sensation not altogether unwelcome, for it permits me to look inward, for a change. To say that I feel, “in my element” here might be a gross understatement. All life seems to thrive here and so why should I be any different? I long to go out into the night and dance through the heavy sky, if only just for a moment to feel the temperature collision that arises between my naked skin and the sweet warm air. I feel like a flower on the verge of bloom; excited and trembling at the curiosity of my unknown fate. This is it. I am grateful for it. The future awaits.