Yesterday, my son, Bryan, and I had an enjoyable, slow-paced, relaxed hour or so at the Idaho Falls Farmer's Market. We love to traipse through there, feeling the warm sun, cool-ish air, and the fun energy of the crowd. Bryan get's a pint of goat milk to last him for the week, I usually get a tumeric-infused lemonade from Modern Hippie. And there's always something else fun to intrigue us. Appropriately invigorated, we hopped into my car for the 1-mile drive back home. Yes, we could have walked it, but finding a parking spot is half the fun. At the intersection of Park Ave. and Broadway (remember, this is Idaho Falls, not NYC) we were first in line at the red light headed the only direction this one-way-street could go. Traffic was heavy for I.F., what with the Farmer's Market and all. The light turned green and, in my more-relaxed-than-normal state, not feeling the least bit hurried, I paused. Was it inspiration? Divine protection? Premonition? Super-cognitive instinct? I don't know. But at least 2 or 3 seconds passed before I started to take my foot off the brake. At this point, a fully-loaded semi-truck blazed through their red light, going at an unhealthy speed for these small roads. I didn't have time to lay on my horn. I wish I would have. We would have been killed. Honestly. For a day and a half now, every couple of hours I offer a quick prayer of thanks. I picture my family gathered here in our home, grieving mine and Bryan's shocking deaths. I think about what (if we'd have been killed) I wish I would have done: mailed that letter, written more notes, planted one more flower, talked to everyone on the phone that morning. I am in awe, and I marvel at the gift of life. Breath. Movement. Opportunity. Miracles ... all of these things are miracles. And I am grateful.
I've been reading a lot this year. Much of what I'm reading inspires my work with people seeking safety and healing from abusive relationships. But I'm getting in some really good fiction too (thanks to my daughters' recommendations). I've read 20 books so far this year. I'm actually going to list them here, along with a *star* rating (5 stars is best). {I crave recommendations, so I hope you like this}
- Six of Crows *** (too dark for me)
- Crooked Kingdom ****
- Entangled ***
- Blind Side ***
- Enchanted ***
- The Operative ***
- The Crown **
- Motive for Murder ***
- The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society *****
- The Awakened Brain ****
- The Ezekial Option ****
- Forty Autumns *****
- As You Wish ****
- When Things Fall Apart ***
- The Plum Tree ****
- Jo & Laurie ****
- The Nightingale *****
- A Guide to the Good Life ****
- Living Untethered *****
- The Untethered Soul ****
- The Rose Code ****
Two months ago, I quit my job. One of my jobs. I still am an adjunct professor at BYUI and I love it! The other job - I quit, for ethical reasons. So now I've started my own business and the blessings keep pouring in. I am so smitten by the goodness of so many people. I feel like if I were to twirl around in circles fast enough, all the people I see would be sparkling light prisms. Everyone just seems so beautiful to me right now. I think that, finding myself in a difficult situation, I'm more able to see all the good around me. Make sense? That good is inside of everyone that I'm associating with, and it oozes out when I see them, when we talk, when they offer help ... even from a distance. I see it / feel it when I see their names show up on social media, or when a text comes in. It's really lovely.
Lately, I'm busier than I'd like to be. That being said, I had a really sweet week with (less money ... eeek!) more time for myself. I planted flowers, walked barefoot a lot, pulled weeds, hit up the local thrift stores, read outside, got in my 10,000+ steps every day, and took intentional time to breathe. I heard this phrase that I really like in regard to how to live my life: Create a Consciously Crafted Life. Nice, right?
Much love to anyone who reads these ... you loyal friends, you!
xo
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