Let me paint you a picture.
Today is Saturday. I am standing on the corner of W Sixth and Limestone. The sun is shining and everyone is walking home from the farmers market or wearing blue - cheering from the many upscale or not so upscale bars - after every touch down made by our CATS. There are people with dark skin and people with milky colored skin. They are beautiful. All of them. Young ones holding hands as they sprint across the street beating the fast moving cars. The older ones walk with intention, but some with leasure. After all it's Saturday. The buildings have character and the yards are small. I walked past a public garden in an old abandoned lot. Thriving green in the city brings inspiration.
My hair isn't brushed - I managed to paint my nails around noon. No coffee - I did order several donuts though. Happy Birthday North Lime. You are like a beacon that calls me home with your typewriter in the corner and The Jackson 5 over the radio. My Old Testament Poerty is spread out over two tables staring at me just waiting to become an exceptional paper... Ha.
I'm breathing in long and slow. I never want to forget the joy this Saturday brought me. How simple. How strong. How the boy on the bike wearing a Brooklyn jersey and beats wave to me made me feel more loved than I have in a long time. Strangers love. Maybe that says something about me. Or how the large, loud, laughing, family across the road waking parallel to me make me want a family of my own. Kids that call me mom.
When I drove through Woodhill baby J jumped in my arms without question. Funny God. I already have a family. A big one. A loud one. A laughing one. A family that goes through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Thank God for the crazy mess we are and the non matching faces who scream they love me from the playground. Sometimes being away makes us forget there are people who would scream they love us anywhere. Or maybe people do scream they love me - I just respond differently with them.
Last week was hard. My heart wasn't in good working order. My body was sick. And my mind was full of chaotic thoughts. So here I am. In one of my favorite places. Surrounded by broken glass on this side walk, being healed by the company and the sun. Watching time pass and never wanting this to end. I don't hate reality. I just like this one a lot more. I didn't take pictures - I was too busy living.
One day the dream, the images, the hope of growing a city full of green life and street lights and kids will become a tangible thing for the doubters. Those doubters will look around and shrug their shoulders and exclaim "This is what she meant all along? This is beautiful."
I am thankful. I am blessed. I am broken and being put back together everyday by the lovely and challenging things around me. Sometimes it just takes driving a few miles and sitting in enough silence on W. Sixth & N. Limestone to realize those things again.
When I drove through Woodhill baby J jumped in my arms without question. Funny God. I already have a family. A big one. A loud one. A laughing one. A family that goes through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Thank God for the crazy mess we are and the non matching faces who scream they love me from the playground. Sometimes being away makes us forget there are people who would scream they love us anywhere. Or maybe people do scream they love me - I just respond differently with them.
Last week was hard. My heart wasn't in good working order. My body was sick. And my mind was full of chaotic thoughts. So here I am. In one of my favorite places. Surrounded by broken glass on this side walk, being healed by the company and the sun. Watching time pass and never wanting this to end. I don't hate reality. I just like this one a lot more. I didn't take pictures - I was too busy living.
One day the dream, the images, the hope of growing a city full of green life and street lights and kids will become a tangible thing for the doubters. Those doubters will look around and shrug their shoulders and exclaim "This is what she meant all along? This is beautiful."
I am thankful. I am blessed. I am broken and being put back together everyday by the lovely and challenging things around me. Sometimes it just takes driving a few miles and sitting in enough silence on W. Sixth & N. Limestone to realize those things again.
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