Musings

I put cinnamon in my coffee, it's an old habit I developed before I knew how good cinnamon was for me. I sprinkle the grounds into the bottom of my cup and watch it mix with the warm caffeine goodness.  It dissolves before I add my foamed milk (yes, I have a milk frother... making coffee on the weekends is somewhat an art in my house). 

I drink it now as I write this. It's been a few days of contemplation, my mind so full I wonder how it hasn't spilled yet. I roll ideas around behind my eyes as the morning light brightens - the arrival of the sun for a long time now symbolizing the true start of my day. 

The mornings are getting cool now in Evergreen. It's as though Fall snuck into the bedroom in the morning and slipped in a long lingering kiss... the kind you don't remember happening but still feel the effects of when you wake. The closer we get to September the longer it takes for the feeling to subside. 

The neighbor kids scream by on their bicycles, riding to the end of the street as fast as they can. They are hardly winded when they return, standing to help them gain the small hill that makes up our drive. One runs along side the others and when I ask him where his bike is at he grins and tells me he is a dog. He barks and runs along side as they others buzz the hill again. 

It makes me smile and brings me back to a conversation I was recently having with my hallway colleagues at work about spirit animals. Jokingly they all teased mine had to be the hummingbird with how much energy I give off. Though I laughed I don't think they are accurate. Hummingbirds, as loud and funny as they may be, are solitary creatures, introverts looking to pick fights with anyone coming in their territory. 

I wish I had the energy of a baby elephant, all spunk and happiness... I mean come on, have you ever seen an angry baby elephant? But as playful and joy filled I might be, my intuition and patients win out over all. Perhaps I'm an owl, waiting patiently on my perch, going over all the facts - taking in every detail... 

The kids squeal by once more, free in their fearlessness to try and be anything new. 

I was recently having a conversation with my best friend about how different getting older is than we thought it would be. No one tells you when you are younger about bills (or if they do it is hard to grasp), about getting up every morning to work for someone else, about health issues, and changing times. 

But they are also not able to explain the lasting friendships with people that will give you the truth even when you don't want it, and will make you laugh so hard you can't breathe.  They can't explain the moments that will truly fill you with so much elation you will understand the explosion of a star - so much light filling you until you have no choice but to combust happiness onto those around you. Nor can they possibly get you ready for the moments you are brave enough to say yes and the most amazing outcomes present themselves. 

She and I agreed that while life can be some shit sometimes... but surrounding yourself with the right people (you know those people, the kind that you would invite to an ugly sweater party because they will go all out with you) is what truly counts. I am forever grateful that I continue to build the right tribe around me.