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| "I have a house now"
"I can't see myself buying a house for years and years"
"That is a good thing."
"I can't even think about where I will be in twenty years."
"You will be there"
Words can not express how I felt after hearing that today
what a beautiful way of putting it, no matter where I am, I will be there.
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| to biking around town, listening to music, realizing that maybe all this time i have been searching for God, for I am consistently placing myself in situations, alone on adventures, to find the beauty that nature brings and how the kindness of others guides me through. essentially, how love and the comfort of a traveling home surrounds me in every season of life.
somehow, tea has been offered to me all across every place, by all different types of people, and that is what it boils down to. to hospitality, to reaching out, to feeling secure in the presence and comfort of others who I have met moments before.
that is it.
i find that the mornings i begin in prayer for students, energy, and enlightenment turn into the best ones.
sometimes i think, how did a phone interview in the car of my coffeeshop turn into working at a school with cheerful staff and energetic middle schoolers; only by grace.
this is not easy, and sometimes i feel flooded with tears. which is fine
home is here, the future is open, and i am ready for the moment and what's next
also-there was cake today with the best frosting ever in the room with the mailboxes at school.
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| Somehow, I have been at valpo for multiple days and still have not paid for my own food. Between waking up to friends cooking breakfast and dinners, life could not be sweeter! I feel as though this is much like the book the kindness of strangers (or friends in this case) about how there are always people around to provide. I am grateful to be surrounded by such amazing people!
Yesterday was ultimate frisbee, barefoot, sunny day, so many people playing, light hearted and spirited, and I can not help but think, how beautiful it was! It feels like I have travelled in a time portal, had this amazing experience, and now I am back and nothing has changed except it is summertime as we walk downtown to get icecream and sit outside.
At the same time, I feel excited and terrified about the openness, uncertainty, and freedom that lies ahead. | | |
| I was soaked by the time I reached the house, all the way up the top of the hill; drenched to the point of peeling off my clothes once inside. I had my hood up at the beginning, but soon brought it down and felt every part of the rain, letting it move me to the next step.
Greeted by a warm cup of tea and all of my roommates, I am home.
Home changes consistently for me, and I find that it is the people, and the feeling of safety, giving, and community that makes it.
This weekend was sailing on the bay and a bonfire on the beach. Beautiful in so many ways and running into the Pacific, socks shoes and jeans, was my ultimate favorite.
I am leaving the Kowhai House, but I start traveling throughout the two islands tomorrow!
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| This week has been relaxed and full of being outside; here is an idea of such
-Spending the ENTIRE day hiking around a forest and counting fruitfall, basically to find what seeds are eaten, indicating that rats and stouts are around the trees
-Releasing trees (weeding/pulling away invasive weeds from the small trees roots)
-Stream Survey; going to 3 streams and marking what life is in them, pollution/pH levels, flow of water (this was my second favorite)
-Seal Colony to check it out, and hike around all day (this was my first favorite, seals are absolutely hilarious)
-Nature Reservation to build a bridge with a live-life-on-the-edge man named Reese. We hopped on the back of this tractor, and were told to hold on to these wood planks way above us, with the instructions, "now when I say jump, jump off and run, do not stop running".
In the evenings, we cook dinner together, hang out in the living room, sit outside, go to the city, and also dance to live music in downtown bars, which has been so so fun! Already, this has been a learning experience, and I am finding out more about nature conservation and myself as I live with strangers and learn to find my way.
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