It's nearly June & I'm just now in the habit of dating things with 2009 instead of 2008.Spring is my favorite season & I've been loving the comfortable sunshiny days, watching the tree leaves burst open, the bluffs going from brown to green seemingly overnight. Tulips, daffodils, lilacs, and the most striking crab apple trees have finished blossoming and now it's another colorful display of various flowers.
May 23-26 my Northwest college room mates & I gathered in Seattle for a reunion (our first in 3 years!). My cheeks hurt and my side ached from laughing, my heart warmed from reminiscing and dreaming with these girls. When I abruptly transferred schools part way through my college years, I had no idea the life-long friendships I'd be blessed with. I'm reminded of the journey we've traveled the past 7+ years, and am amazed at the wisdom of my friends as we walk the path of life, transitioning through life's stages separately, yet together. I love you girls!
Like I do at every season change, I reviewed my life-long & short-term goals. Um, the quilt is waiting for material for the backing, I haven't touched the piano since Christmas carols were in season, and deer hunting isn't legal until November.Another goal is to run a 5k - not walk it, but run the 3.1 miles. In 2005 a friend & I did a local 5k, but injury caused us to walk for a bit after the 2 mile mark. This summer, I'm attacking the challenge to run again on June 27. So, a few weeks ago I started what I thought was a 6-week training schedule, and recently realised it's actually a 9-week schedule. Oops. I need to step it up, and bite the bullet to get in shape faster than I thought. Heehee. My goal is to finish & to run the whole way. I think I can do it...hopefully without too much pain :)
I've taken advantage of opportunities to travel nearly every month since January, and June is no exception! And, this time, work is footing the bill - Yay! :) California here I come!! I'll be attending a national conference on volunteerism and national service. Thousands of people, committed to promoting service in our communities, are gathering in San Fransisco. Days will be full of seminars and trainings, evenings spent on the famous Waterfront, and even one dinner eaten with a Japanese friend who's now working as a nanny just outside San Fran! The picture is Maiko & me the last time we saw each other - August 2008 - in my Fujioka apartment.While updating my blog today, I've been sipping a latte in a jazzy, independent coffee shop, while rain sprinkles outside. There's a table set up with coffee paraphernalia with inspiring quotes, and the one facing me reads, "What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?"
At first, I thought, "Oh, that's uplifting and inspiring; a good challenge to chase our dreams and deep desires." But, as I think a little longer on it, I wonder, "Is there anything wrong with failure? Should the fear of failure hold us back? Say I take a leap in life - and don't land exactly where I expected or wanted or dreamed. Did I fail? Should I avoid chances to 'fail,' when perhaps, I am missing opportunities to succeed?"
This week I've been meditating on Psalm 103. Here are the first 5 verses, but check out all of it because the entire chapter is good.
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
1 comment:
Oh! the joys of running. Truthfully though, it does become addictive, at least for me. Jia You, as the Chinese would say, meaning, 'Keep going at it'!
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