When was the last time you crossed something off of your life list? I know that some of you who read this are the smart ones, the folks who have achieved that fabled catbird seat of life where your daily job is proof and reinforcement of why you were put on the earth. Others of you are motivated jet setters methodically and rapidly crossing off your goals and developing new and loftier ones. Me, not so much. My ambitions are large, but I have not much ambition, so when I get to put a big fat line through something on my wish list, it’s momentous.
Today was momentous. Since the first time I ever heard about the Cambodian ruins of Angkor Wat as a child, I’ve dreamed of seeing and exploring them. Though I only scratched the surface today, I get to cross it off the list. I don’t really know where to begin describing the experience. Is it the sheer size of this eighth wonder of the world? The complexity and intricacy of both the grand, functional design and the fine finishing strokes? The fact that it was all done by hand and took three quarters of a million people decades of constant work to create the final product? The religious and spiritual significance palpable at every turn? The mystery that surrounds the downfall and disappearance of the culture responsible for the wonder that is Angkor Wat? The feeling is too new, raw, overwhelming to put a finger on right now, as I’m still getting my head around it, but kindly stay tuned for further, extensive gushing.
