Stars

Wonderstruck by stars and trees and other things

There truly are no words to explain the way I felt when I saw my first one. It was late and dark but that didn’t seem to matter. I was wonderstruck and filled with awe. But there it was, standing tall and proud and graceful all at once. I stared with unbelieving eyes. It was breathtaking and beautiful. The green moss crawled around its thick base curling to the top like garland on a christmas tree. As we drove by more and more of them I just wanted to stop and stare. They were so grand and I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. I didn’t want to leave. But we had to.

The wind whispered to my tired eyes that they would see them once again. I breathed in a sigh of relief. As morning slowly crept into our lives we were on the road again. We saw the bright colors of the sunrise create a backdrop behind the majestic green giants. In daylight they were just as extravagant.

The redwoods were magnificent. They reached taller than the tallest trees in all of my memories. The trunk was wider than any trunk I had ever laid eyes upon. And when I hugged one it made me feel as tiny as the stars do. Tiny but significant. Noticed and encouraged by the Creator. I find myself filled with peace and hope and contentment. Very few things make me feel this way.

It is one of the most amazing feelings that one could possibly ever feel. Perhaps the forest makes me feel even more alive than the ocean.

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Dear City of Roses,

You hold my heart  in your hands. As fall brings rain and cold wind I cannot believe that another year is almost at an end. In exactly one month my calendar will change and I will leave 23 behind… only to fully embrace the beauty of 24! What it will bring I won’t know until it has already passed. So tonight I embrace this moment. Tonight and every night… I will embrace each moment. I will be here now.

I cannot help but miss the bus just to spend time walking your streets and crunching the leaves beneath my feet. As dusk falls into darkness, each sunset disappears and leaves a sky full of sparkling stars above. You continue to inspire me. As I walk with my eyes pointed toward the diamonds in the sky I cannot help but be reminded of how small I am in the midst of things. I am inspired by the vast beauty. Tonight I could be anywhere in the world and as I look up at the glowing lights I would see the same thing… beauty. Everything is beautiful.

And as the sky begins to cry tears of joy I cannot help but laugh. Even in the cold my heart is warmed by your presence. I splash like a child in the puddles and embrace every raindrop that falls onto my nose. This is beauty. If I cannot learn to appreciate the small things in my everyday routine… I may never see beauty as I walk through life. So my dear Portland, OR thank you for letting me see the beauty… even in the small things.

With love and joy,
Me

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