good lord, keep my soul old

met a woman at work recently and we began to chat. I invited her to tell me something good that's happened to her today. she looked at me and paused. 'you're one of them,' she exclaimed. I asked her what she meant by that. 'I see it in your smile, your soul is old. people don't look at you anymore with compassion the way they used to...' i've held on to her words since then. if in my time here, I'm able to make an impression on one lovely human, my work is done.

I race out of bed with eagerness, throwing an oversized band tee over my head and carhartt jeans around my waist. tying my hair up in a messy bun, I slip on my sole-less and faded yet defiant birkenstocks before rushing out the door. slinging a tote over my shoulder with a camera inside, inhaling the steam from the kettle of morning rooibos, I greet today.

driving on the freeway with the sunroof down, the light burns my skin. I pause to breathe, taking in the liberation of this moment. the faint echoes of indie folk exude from my speakers into the world. the outline of mount hood through the hazy sky in the distance stands tall. the air smells of pine and gasoline as I make my way through the winding roads to white salmon along the gorge. honeybees swarm the budding fresh lavender in fields nearby.

I pull off the freeway to gaze into the distance, lowering my camera to capture the perspective of the wondrous flower. later that day I pass underneath the quiet, yet steadfast waterfall, where I am rejuvenated by the mist that calms my face, cleansing the soul. i'm then led into the open portal of the woods. long walks with no agenda on the wildwood trail in forest park, to warm afternoons along oregon's pacific coast highway, chasing another sunset as new chapters weave into old. life is magic.

mindfully ate a dragon fruit the other day and it taught me gratitude. learning to practice self control and using all my senses. when the body speaks, I listen and respond. rather than setting out to save the world, I focus on what I can do in this moment. releasing fear. trusting intuition. affirmations. goodness in the now. finding home within. love letters to the Divine. my heart is still beating