Day 3,516

Growth:

Remember to thank the people who make a positive impact in your life, often.  I highly doubt there is such a thing as appreciating someone too much.  During a conversation with a friend today I was reminded of how much they brighten my spirits in conversation.

Appreciation:

There is some crazy magic about the UP (the Upper Peninsula of Michigan).  Each time I drive up I feel an overwhelming sense of home.  The landscape, the dark brown and red rocks, the thick forest, Lake Superior, the eternally UP smell of the woods, each component weaving together to create.a tapestry of home all around me.  I have not lived up here other than a yer of college, yet this area feels more like home than my hometown.  

My soul is at peace, my attention in the present, my thoughts on the gifts from God surrounding me.  There are many places in the world I want to travel back to and possibly live in for longer periods of time, but this is not one of them.  This is a temple which I am blessed to visit, the opportunity to take it in a moment o holiness not to be consumed, better tasted in small doses to appreciate more.

More clearly, I feel that the UP is my church, the place to be forgiven of my sins, to free my soul, to remember to pause and appreciate all that has been given.  A place to free my heart, to quiet my mind, to fill with joy.

Presence:

The moment I saw the first large rolling hill, the sun almost setting, the clouds basking in the orange and pink light of the sun.  Getting to the shore of Lake Superior use as the sun kissed the horizon, taking in the fading light, and being here completely alone.  A moment I will never forget!

Thanks!!!