Growth

"Sometimes our life reminds me
of a forest in which there is a graceful clearing
and in that opening a house,
an orchard and garden,
comfortable shades, and flowers
red and yellow in the sun, a pattern
made in the light for the sun to return to.
The forest is mostly dark, its ways
to be made anew day after day, the dark
richer than the light and more blessed,
provided we stay brave
enough to keep on going in."
-Wendell Berry

I hate to brag, but...

...I have good genetics.



My dad has to put the siding on his house in a month. By himself. Here is one corner he has started so far. Go dad, go!

I would just like to say that my parents have the busiest, craziest life ever, and they withstand the chaos with grace, patience, and much prayer.

My heroes.

Searching

I'm searching for a job. The past five years of post-secondary have been preparing me for this fateful day, and it is time to face the "real" world and begin to emerge from my warm, safe nest of studenthood. "I'm sorry I just messed up your life, its because I'm still a student, and I haven't learned how to help people yet" can no longer be uttered from my lips. Neither can the phrase, "I'm glad I could help you today, Mrs.so and so, I just started my practicum here and I am still learning...no need to thank me...competent, me? For a student? Really, you are very kind."

Gone are the days of encouragement and reflection as a student who has a reason for not knowing. Gone also are the months of hard work with no monetary compensation.

To fill in the rest of these long days of sweat inducing labour (aka emailing resumes), I am working in my garden, going for long neighborhood walks, and currently spending time with the ol' sister and brother in law in Otterburne. It is blissfully quiet in the country. The Rat River rolls by between green, waving grasses as birds dive bomb with ferocious whim.

Today I...

...walked in the rain.

...drank a chai latte and pretended to be trendy with my journal and reflective posture at Starbucks.

...cried some tears.

...felt alone.

...prayed that the story of my life could be one of love.

...felt the presence of God through the understanding and wisdom of my family.

...cried some more.

...remembered that there is a hormonal component for my emotional turmoil.

...read L.M. Montgomery and reflected upon the beauty in the world.

...felt blessed to walk beneath a canopy of green trees and damp clouds.

...curled up on the couch beneath a warm blanket.



“Let me be the one you’re running to.” The Acorn

"She wanted to be alone - to think things out - to adjust herself, if it were possible, to the new world in which she seemed to have been transplanted with a suddenness and completeness that left her half bewildered to her own identity."
— L.M. Montgomery

"Some people think only intellect counts — knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it. But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion, and empathy."
-Dean Koontz

My mom and I had a date

We went to the local greenhouse.














So many flowers to choose from...


















Isn't she cute?



















Isn't she buff?
















Mmmmm. Compost.

















BEFORE


















AFTER

I went for a walk

There was a general absence of rain yesterday so I went for a walk around our property and beyond.

I took some pictures.

Home

I have entered a peaceful interlude of life. I am home in BC for a couple weeks before I go back to Winnipeg to start working my ass off. Hence, I have ample opportunities to ponder and reflect upon the past year, as well as to think about upcoming adventures. I am also being provided with Kaslo Sourdough bread, chai lattes from Sidewinders, guacamole, Antoinette's dip, and my mom's homemade soup.

Because I feel overcome with laziness or some sort of physical inability to move, I made a list of the things that I need to accomplish while I am home.

1. Go for a walk, or bike ride, or hike. Be outside. It has been raining pretty much since I got here, but I just gotta suck it up and commune with nature.

2. Pack up my room. This is a slightly more distressing thought, as I need to organize the last few things that I have in my BC bedroom and put them in boxes.

3. Help my mom in her garden.

4. Get acupuncture. I have an appointment on Wednesday. I hate needles.

5. Get a haircut.