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A Promise to California

A PROMISE to California,
Or inland to the great pastoral Plains, and on to Puget sound and
Oregon;
Sojourning east a while longer, soon I travel toward you, to remain,
to teach robust American love,
For I know very well that I and robust love belong among you,
inland, and along the Western sea;
For these States tend inland and toward the Western sea, and I will
also.

~Walt Whitman

Faith from fear
draws no one nearer
to the heart
the soul
the purpose
of God.

Deer in the headlights

Last night on my way to pick up the girls after a meeting at Lauren's new pre-school, I came up over a hill and saw a family of deer. About four does, what looked like a young buck, and a fawn. I was probably driving a little too fast for the road, but luckily saw them with enough time to slow down. I ended up just stopping in the middle of the road for a few minutes (it was a gravel back road, and I made sure no one was coming or behind me) and watched the deer for a minute (two of them were in the road). It made me think about how fast things can come up in life. Things that could drastically change your life forever. What if it could be just like this moment? Everything just slows down and has the ability to stop before something devastating happens and the situation is laid out in front of us for full view. Where choices are very easy to see and disaster can be avoided. I slowed down, the deer finally took off and we avoided a disaster for both of us. Could have ended much differently if I weren't paying attention. I'm thankful, not just for myself avoiding the accident, but for the beautiful family of deer. I know it's hokey and lame, but they all just looked so peaceful and beautiful, standing there together. It just reminded me of how life should be more relaxed and simple and cherished. Every moment. Every day.

Slacker

I've been slacking on my writing. Exactly what I set out NOT to do. I've been really tired and flakey the past couple of days, but I am going to get back on track. I need to get my motivation back!

I'll Stand by You by the Pretenders

This song makes me think about the kind of close friends I have and the kind of close friend I want to be. It moves me so much when I hear it. The words are just simply beautiful and poetry in motion.

I'll Stand by You
The Pretenders

Oh, Why You Look So Sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don’t be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
’cause I’ve seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You don’t know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less

I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you

So if you’re mad, get mad
Don’t hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well I’m a lot like you
When you’re standing at the crossroads
And don’t know which path to choose
Let me come along
’cause even if you’re wrong

I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I’ll never desert you
I’ll stand by you

And when...
When the night falls on you, baby
You’re feeling all alone
You won’t be on your own

I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you

I’ll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I’ll never desert you
I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you

I started reading a new book yesterday. There is just something about starting a new book, a good book, one that draws you into the story, makes it personal, that sets the imagination on fire. I feel so uplifted and creative when I read a good book. The fun thing about this book, also, is that a couple of days ago, the author became my friend on Facebook. I had written her about how awesome another book of hers had been and she thanked me which is always cool to make that connection with an author. I really hope that one day when I've published my books, that I touch people (or even at least just one person) enough to encourage them to reach out to me and express how my writing, my story, made them feel. What an honor!