Where's Waldo?

I saw a “Where’s Waldo” book the other day and instantly found myself looking at the book with a child’s eyes. So I decided to write a little something about it.

I wonder what Waldo feels like as he travels around the world, jumping back and forth through time, experiencing cultures and adventures we can only read about or imagine? One day he could be in ancient Japan, seeing ancient traditional Japanese culture clash against the inevitable modernization of a nation. Then with a turn of a page he might find himself taking a stroll around the great coliseum of Rome, dodging and turning as Maximus, Spartacus, and those other poor souls exert their dominance upon each other.

I guess the common theme that runs through each book is that Waldo is in an environment he just doesn’t belong to, yet he’s there, and mostly just blends in. He’s trapped within transition, the constant outsider looking in. Do you think he ever gets lonely? Is he simply lost, or is he searching for something, moving from place to place, time to time, until he finds it?

So I just graduated college and find myself in a period of transition. I still live around school and hang out with all my friends. Once a week, I even crash a class!* However, even through I blend in with the best of them, I still feel like the outsider looking in, walking around in a culture I just don’t quite fit into anymore. I guess sometimes I feel like Waldo.

But then again, who am I kidding? Everyone loves finding Waldo! I mean what’s the purpose of these books if not to get stoked when you find Waldo, and in the process see what kind of adventures he’s cruising through this time. Is Waldo ever lonely? Probably, but who isn’t sometimes. When in doubt, I’m sure he finds his wizard friend, that rad looking Waldo girl Wonda, his dog, or that other guy in yellow and black, his best friend/nemesis.

Waldo is living life large, and he’s doing it with his friends. I love when my friends find me. I love when I find them. Sometimes I feel like just another face in the crowd, an outsider looking in, but then I pull my head out of my ass, and realize that there’s adventure all around me, people that love me, people that need love, and so much life to experience. Usually, when it comes to life, I don’t really care what we do, as long as we do it together.

Yeah, I might be in a place of transition right now and searching for direction, but life is happening all around me, right now, and I mean take it and live it. Life is good.

So for those of you who live in the same world as me, if you happen to spot me as you you go through the daily grind, come say hello and we can cruise. And for those of you, who always feel like the outsider looking in, know that you are loved, and people are probably trying to find you too. It just might be hard for them to see you sometimes, because life is crazy and busy, distracting us from what’s really important.

So do your best to go out and find someone who’s just blending in. Show them some love. Give them some life.

Go find Waldo,

Ernie

*I'm taking this rad class called Missions in the 21st century. Well, i'm sitting in it at least. I figured, I might as well keep my brain alive, and keep learning. I love it.