Around the World

Another travel adventure is right around the corner for me. I can barely wait for sand between my toes, sun on my skin, and the sound of the ocean roaring like a jet engine. As I was busying myself with preparations recently, which amounts to doing laundry and checking my airline reservation online a hundred times over, I saw that I have 119, 625 lifetime miles flown on United Airlines alone. I've had a frequent flier account with them since I was a wee baby, you see. Curious, I googled how many miles the circumference of the Earth is at the Equator. It's information like that, that I think I should somehow know, but the internet had my back on this one. Approximately 25,000 miles around the Earth. I've flown enough, on one airline alone, to have made nearly 5 journeys around the world! Then I think about adding Delta, Lufthansa, US Airways, Continental, Ryanair, Air France, Southwest... you name it, and all of a sudden I am stunned. And so grateful. There is no gift in the world that is more valuable than experiencing the world around us, and it's a gift that not many people get to have. I feel rich.

iPhone note, on saying goodbye

Do you ever have moments when your mind is processing the world poetically? When every movement, word, feeling around you might as well be in iambic pentameter. Sometimes I get like this, and I always think to myself, "I need to be writing down my thoughts." But then I rarely do. And the moment is passed. It's good to do something. To bake, to sing, to dance, to write, to draw... no matter if the product is terrible. I think practicing creativity helps to nurture the human condition, even if no one sees it and no money is made from it. Actually, especially if that's so. A start and a finish. Movement. Feeling. Expression.

Tuesday night a few of us said "see ya later" to a friend who is moving to the other side of the world. Goodbye's are always strange. I found myself walking home in a whirlwind of poetry. Laying in bed later on, determined to write something-- anything-- down, but too tired to turn on the lights and take to paper, I grabbed my iPhone and started typ-typing away. This is the result.

Bittersweet because had you all not said your goodbyes to other people in far off places, you'd have never met each other. The conversation over pizza and the beer and wine, which has to be drunken or tossed before tomorrow morning, seems to flow the best it's ever flowed. You learn more about one another, and becoming acquainted was never so effortless. No one wants to be the one to finally get up to go, because she knows the others will follow suit. First throwing out the paper plates, then accepting your offer of taking the tiki torches home, and finally slipping the shoes on and exchanging hugs. That hug means goodbye for an indefinite amount of time, but definitely a long amount of time. You give me your blue colander. It's my favorite color. I give you a five dollar bill. Thanks for the pizza. We all gradually migrate into the hallway and wish you safe travels, and then it's out into the warm, spring night. Each our own direction. And life's carrying on just as it was in this place.

I didn't say it was good. I said it was important. <3 br="">

On Great People

A common denominator in my life is that I have always been blessed to have strong, smart, supportive, loving, charismatic, patient, and kind people in it. And these people are not just one or two of those traits. Oh no, these people somehow have all of those qualities. How is it that my life is filled with such people in such a challenging world? It is no doubt the existence of such people that has gotten me to where I am and where I'm going.

This morning, I met a dear friend of mine from high school at Dulles International Airport. He was flying back home to the Wild West from Afghanistan. A former Marine, a loving husband, a non-discriminating purple-nurple giver, a good son and brother, a video game fanatic, and a kind, thoughtful man. I had not seen him for nearly two years. He now has a beard that would put almost anyone's beard to shame. To hug him hello, to chat with him over coffee (and a morning brewski for him), to hear about his life, his family... everything, brought immeasurable amounts of joy to my week. That first hug connected me with my roots and reminded me that I have good people all across the world with whom I've crossed paths and formed relationships of friendship and respect. That is a nice feeling.

Sometimes I buy a particular brand of tea (Yogi) when I feel like I have more money to spend than I actually do. I like this tea because it comes with little saying on the tag at the end of the string on each tea bag. I know that that is an illogical reason to buy anything, but I like it. Marketing win for Yogi. Anyway, my teabag said, "Your greatness is not what you have, it's what you give." Isn't that the truth? I might not have a whole lot in the way of worldly possessions or financial sums, but I have a rich life. I know great people who give ten times as much of themselves than I do. And these people come in all shapes, sizes, colors, ages...

They are amazing. You are amazing.

I feel so loved, and that is a great thing.

Giddyup!

Hi, it's me again.

It's high time that I re-attempt to jot down more about the world as I see it. With a plethora of goings-on right now, I certainly have enough thoughts to keep this little blog filled. The real question is whether or not I'll force myself to make the time to write. That's always the tricky part.

Life is good right now. That is not to say that life is easy, but it certainly is good. Today is my momma's birthday, and there is so much about her to celebrate that I don't even know where to begin. Oh, what a gift this lady is to the world! Never in my life have I met another human being who has such capacity and will for patience, kindness, encouragement, and love. She is my role model. And since she's also probably the only reader of this blog, I will say: Happy birthday, Mom. I love you.

To everybody else: Today I wish you happiness and healing. Whatever is going in your life, may you find things that make you happy to your core and things that bring you peace and comfort.

Love always,
E