New Day!

Yesterday was my first official day back on the west coast.  After flying all day, leaving at 9:00 am and arriving in Portland around 10:00 (1:00 a.m. old time), I was a little discombobulated.  Yesterday was a great day to relax.  I got a quick tour of the house before M took off.  Such a joy to see M again- sparkling, beautiful, artistic self.  She has opened her home to me, and it is a tranquil, calming, and simple space.  I slept well, the best I've slept in a long time.
I took a bath, something I haven't been able to do in such a long time.  I used M's big jar of epson salt and poured myself a long hot bath.  It was incredibly delightful, releasing tension, and scrubbing off the cold, hard, and negative aspects of my life in the east.  I drank my first Kombucha- an organic raw drink which helps to rebirth, repurpose, rebuild, reclaim, restart, and all such glorious things. 
I texted a few friends back east to let them know I made it, and I called Maryanna Fox, the lady I sat next to at my church.  I told her what a blessing she had been to my life, what a source of encouragement, and I asked for her address.  This lady, single and strong, had inspired me with her life story- and I knew little of it.  But I knew that she had sponsored many children with Compassion International and that she had gone to various countries to meet them, and I knew she had worked for years as a teacher and done mission work in Alaska.  I was drawn to her heart which beat with so much love and spunk. 
I organized my things, which was a pretty simple process seeing how I only have one suitcase of things.  I love that my room is bare and bright, that I am down to the essentials, and that I have my Bible and Jesus Calling next to my bed.  I hung up my colorful cross above my bed.  M's mom made it for me.  It says "bless this child".
I put on my hiking shoes and Spring flowery jacket and took a long walk through the neighborhood.  The air out here is so clean and fresh, invigorating and alive.  Birds fly all around, trees stretch and crawl, and flowers bloom lush and colorfully.  The sun was shining, and I imagine my face was stamped with bliss.  It felt so good to be feeling the sun.  I took a walk, got a diet Coke, and sat in the sun for awhile and wrote.  Everyone greeted me, asked me how my day was going, and things felt so hopeful.  I felt lighter, happier, and more myself.  This was my first day back in the Pacific Northwest.