MONDAY - SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

We are back. I am glad to be back. Rhode Island was beautiful. Massachusetts was beautiful. Connecticut was beautiful. The wedding was lovely. Dean was great. Jason and Sammy (a girl who stayed with us all summer and the brides 1/2 sister) wrote a song and sang it as a surprise gift to the bride. The song was all about being sisters and was the touch the wedding needed to secure that there wasn’t a dry eye in the room!

My favorite part of the vacation was our spontaneous trip to New York. Dean, Jason, and I took a train from Rhode Island to Manhattan for a day. WOW! I love New York. The sights … the smells … the people … it was a wonderful! We all agreed we could move there. Ahhh, What a great experience. Jason was even moved to write a song. The taxis were terrifying. The experience lived up to all the rumors. (I truly thought we were going to die) but it was a thrill! We laughed a lot about it (only after we were safely back on the street of course). Ground Zero was overwhelming to see. And the Statue of Liberty…ahhh, she was beautiful! Central Park was amazing. I expected a crime infested, dirty place where the smell of pee wafted from under the bridges. But, quite the contrary! It was beautiful and so full of lush/green trees. There are over 11 playgrounds for children and even a small amusement park for families in one section. The fountain and lake were breathtaking. I suppose New York needs a retreat place like this with grass and trees and gentle breezes. (Which is why I imagine it stays so nice.) Living with all of that concrete and the tall buildings that block the sun from beating down on one’s face would be hard to take day in and day out.

We spent the latter part of this week in the midst of conversations hosted by the Bridge-a community of like-minded people that gather in Ventura. It was called the Soliton Sessions. I have much to consider…and I went there already considering much. And, now, today I am reminded that I was wondering just before we left why I feel am entering a new season of life. Hmmm, I guess I will use the platform of blogs as a place to organize all of my thoughts, my chicken scratches, and the notes spread about on various articles of paper. And I am still pondering within my heart much of what I have been experiencing lately and most of my thoughts are in process so bare with me as I journey.

OK…I don’t want to be too self consumed here and I am certain I have already spent way too much time today answering e-mails and not doing the most pressing work at hand. So, I will end here.