No time to think. Time for sleep now. Time to sink way into the blue.

It’s been an intense and rocky start to the New Year. However, keeping in mind that some of the most amazing roads are a little rough to travel, I’d like to share some snap-shots of the remarkable “rest-stops” I’ve past through these last couple of weeks on Route 2012.

• Receiving a sincere hug when you need it is most.
• Feeling the full support of our community.
• Witnessing an astounding change of heart, and having the power of love reaffirmed.
• Hand-drawn pictures on our refrigerator.
• Laughing as a community, till our sides ache through all hours of the night.
• Working together despite sleep deprivation, adversity and injustice.
• Walking with one another through the doldrums and patiently plodding our way back to normality.
• Recognizing when the waves get rough, sometimes we need to let go, stop fighting and simply ride out the storm.
• Soaking up the serenity of our garden.
• Painting our friends’ new house beautiful, bright, vibrant colors on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
• Holding hands.
• Listening to crickets.
• Dancing, which in this case is actually just bouncing around, with your roommate in the living room to C’est La Vie at 1:30 in the morning until you are re-energized and breathless.

This list doesn’t do justice to the beauty of each moment it tries to capture. That’s fine though, everyone reading this has these own mental postcards from their travels this month. Besides the real beauty comes from being present, fully alive in those moments. The list is just a reflection, a reminder of how incredible it all is. In the busy weeks that will compose the rougher terrain we travel, grace is found in not losing sight of the scenery.

V