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Running. Happy.

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Stay Open — Two Words That Have Changed My Life

Spiritual practices and my first day in my new town

6 min readJun 4, 2025

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The last month, two, three, have all gone rather quickly. I was in Japan, then LA, then the Bay, and now, I’m setting roots in Oakland. I’ve become accustomed to picking up the pieces of my life, putting them in suitcases, and meandering on.

When I do, what remains? The core of me, a foundation on which all the experiences flow atop like tides of the sea, leaving impressions, beautiful scars, memories.

I suppose that’s what I do. What I enjoy. Garnering novel experiences.

Yet it’s that core which matters. I’m just trying to understand it better. No matter where we go and what changes externally, our essence remains. So we can run, flee, wander endlessly. But if we don’t peel back the layers to appreciate what’s going on inside, we’ll never be free.

Lately, my writing has been all about traversing my inner landscape, spirituality. But there’s a lot going on in my life externally. That is why I’ve been writing about spirituality.

I’ve needed it.

Spirituality doesn’t mean shutting out the challenges of life while sitting on a mountaintop in perfect serenity. It’s the opposite.

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Vincent Van Patten
Vincent Van Patten

Written by Vincent Van Patten

❤️‍🔥 Heartfelt tales for those who want more peace, beauty, and purpose in their everyday lives 🌿

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