Tag Archives: Victor Hugo
Yiasou!
Stephanie Nikolopoulos is a writer, editor, writing teacher, and speaker based in New York City.
She is the coauthor, with Paul Maher Jr., of "Burning Furiously Beautiful: The True Story of Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road.'"
You can email her at stephanie_701 {@} yahoo.com
I came of age reading the Beats, devouring their novels and poetry and studying biographies and history books that detailed their lives and the post-World War 2 era. I packed my bags and moved from New Jersey to California, I backpacked through Europe, and I rode a Greyhound across the United States of America. Traveling was, in many ways, how I found myself. But the truest part of it was never about the tourism—for me or the Beats. As I watch today’s generation—the #travelinfluencer generation but also the #vanlife generation—I can’t help but feel they’re missing something as they chase experiences and likes. And that’s not to point a finger at them. I still miss a lot myself. But I think Proust, who by the way the Beats read, was right: discovery isn’t about where you go but about expanding your mind. I’m still learning. My eyes are still adjusting. Because in my heart, the stories from the road that I carry with me are of laying flat on my back on a wooden bench just looking up at the leaves in Bozeman, Montana; the homeless woman I met in a Greyhound station in South Dakota who was more interested in feeding her mind and soul with a book than her stomach with a muffin; talking about relationships with a reindeer herder in Sápmi; reuniting with my sister in Edinburgh; drinking rakomelo in Athens with my brother; and writing in my diary as the sun set over the Pont Vecchio in Florence. They weren’t curated moments. They aren’t moments that would be cool or special to anyone else. But they’re my moments.
Powering through editing with a Blue Moon Milk latte by @clover.sonoma ☕️🌚
Happy 15th of August! Καλό Δεκαπενταύγουστο! The second most important feast day in the Greek Orthodox calendar, Thekapendeavgousto is also called Panagia and refers to the dormition of the Virgin Mary — the “falling asleep” of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Devout Greek Orthodox Christians fast leading up to the holiday and attend church services followed by festive feasts with family and friends. Some even make pilgrimages to the island of Tinos and other places considered significant to celebrating. Religious or not, many of us take pilgrimages — some to holy sites, yes, but others to literary landmarks, to baseball stadiums,and to historical sites. Long after those associated with the places have departed, we continue to find ourselves drawn to them. We continue to mark dates in history with celebration.
The heavens declare.
There aren’t always sign posts and traffic signals, paved roads and maps in life. Sometimes we have to cut through the weeds. Sometimes we have to double back and try to find a new way forward. When we’re in the thick of it all, it’s exhausting and frustrating and even heartbreaking at times. But when we look back, we may catch a glimpse of a hard-won but beautiful journey.
Forest bathing.
Twitter Updates
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Stephanie Nikolopoulos 