I straightened my hair yesterday. Which is meaningless aside from the silky feeling I get when I run my fingers through it. A thing I seem to do now when lost in thought.

The cool, crisp air through opened windows awakened me earlier than usual. Earlier than necessary. Welcomed though this Fall atmosphere is, my cozy bed is longingly more appealing. Sleep will allude me, however, as awareness roused as well.

Beauty of Creation draws me magnetically to the front porch with hot coffee and a fluffy pup barking at the dark unknown. Our old hound scouts an imagined perimeter about twice the size of our property. And my elderly neighbor rises to begin tending his homestead. A practice carried out daily to the point each newly fallen leaf can be named.

Morning traffic deep in the background. A testament to lives dedicated to caring for something greater than themselves. Driving to work in order to feed children, provide for a family, produce goods and services, to do good, make the world a brighter place, impact lives — it’s the personal intentions behind our pursuits that imbues the meaning to life.

Along the treetops, a myriad of song birds – chickadees, mockingbirds, plus a few I can’t identify. A woodpecker somewhere behind the house pounds away at breakfast, crows organize from every angle, and a rooster ½ mile away begins his shift.

Squirrels leave their nests. Instead of breaking overnight fasts, they flirt and chase each other in spirals up and down long pines. Their chatter makes me smile outwardly and laugh inwardly, a bit jealous, as they send bark flying earthward off trunks from their impassioned frenzy of entertainment.

My fingers and coffee now cold. Even wearing Dan’s well worn flannel pj bottoms and his soft, brushed canvas long sleeve shirt, my fingers tips are chilly icicles. But I’m content. Outside, and inward.

“Good” is what I’d say – if you were to ask how I am out of kindness. Its also what you’ll get if I don’t know you well enough to trust how much you *really* want to hear. 🙂 I know, I know — we’re not supposed to use such non-expressive words; good, find. But, I am a deep (deeeeep) thinker and confirmed introvert. If you don’t have an hour or don’t enjoy really sharing the content of thoughts and ideas and feelings – mine and yours – then “good” will have to suffice.

Besides, “good” IS accurate on the balance. I fully embrace, honor, and love the plural nature of Existence. Good with bad. Beauty from ashes. Growth from pruning. Calm after storm. Peace after navigating chaos, etc. And there IS peace. Which is good. There IS calm. Also good. There is focus. Very good, etc.

Events and situations are nowhere near perfect. There remain too many unfinished and unsettling avenues to walk. Our being safe. Fed. Having work for our hands. Lessons for our minds. Challenges for our wills. And healing of emotions. Coupled with the freedom to navigate it all as needed and led. It.Is.Good. It is real. I love, love, love becoming more and more and more like the velveteen rabbit.

I went to the porch for I wanted to be awakened, live fully in appreciation, and never forget all that brought me here. Haha, me pretending Thoreau (and he did it better;). I haven’t a clue what prompted this detailed musing in my brian this morning. Perhaps it is joy. An imperfect life. A heart seeking – and finding – much joy.