Strength, Courage and Wisdom

Inside my head there lives a dream that I want to see in the sun

Behind my eyes there lives a me that I've been hiding for much too long

'Cause I've been, too afraid to let it show

India.Arie

I ended up staying in the Sierra Nevada's for an extra day. It's been a few days of re-realization. I've sat on the rocks and felt the wind blow through my hair, have been revitalized and renewed. The scent of sage and the desert surrounded me. I've been there watching the sun come up and the sun go down. After a year of frantic activity (all with good reason in family and work), I found the simple sound of silence. I think that's why I love this area in the Sierras. I've found a hotel where I can set up base and there are tons of areas to hike in, photograph and just be.

On today, my last day, I finally slowed down enough that I'm spending some time in my room, reading and working on photos. It has been raining off and on. The strange thing is that every time I've been out in the last couple of days, I've been able to tell by the wind changes that rain was just about to start and would make it back to the Jeep before the torrents arrived. So it seems like being back in nature has reawakened my wisdom of the experience of being in it.

Wednesday I'll return to work. Then in about 6 weeks I'll journey to Michigan to stay with my Mom for the holidays. After that I don't know. I do know that I've gained strength in the last year. My Mom's journey has taught me to let my dreams live and to take chances more before it's too late.

I have one more thing to do here tomorrow morning. It may be positive or it may be negative, but thanks to the last few days, I've found the strength, courage and wisdom to do the task. We'll see how it goes.

India.Arie, "Strength, Courage and Wisdom":