Well… it has been a good week and as I sit (still on a high that I am able to sit these days) and type… I realize that there is no specific reason for this general chipper vibe but the sun is shining… there are beautiful roses blooming around the yard and laughter percolating the crisp ocean air… things are okay over here at T.I.
Every Friday evening I begin to take stock of the past week and think about the conversations that I have had… what has stuck with me… what has made an impact… and what I ultimately want to write about as I venture out to the computers early Saturday morning. So… here I am after much contemplation last night and I have to be honest… as I thought about the days that past… there wasn’t one specific event or convo that implanted itself into my consciousness… it was more of a compilation of events that landed me in this serotonin filled joyous mood…
First… I started the week (beginning last Saturday and again Monday… 2 days… what?!) with the absolute treat of getting to see my Sister, Brother and nieces in person. I was completely taken aback by how much my surroundings disappeared as I was with them. There is something about kids… or at least these amazingly magical kids… that made everything else irrelevant and the only thing that mattered was what was right in front of me. We laughed… we shared… we told stories and asked questions… we were together… and it was such an absolute gift. I remember feeling this way last time they visited as well. The feeling that (of course) I want to be out in the real world with them but I left them with a deep… comforting feeling that we are going to be okay… we are going to survive this journey and that the power of love (their love) is a truly incredible thing.
The week continues with the overall good feelings stemming from the re-instatement of “everyone’s” half way house that I discussed last week… that has really made the compound buzz with positive energy. And then… drum roll for effect… my Bunkie gives me one of the best gifts you can possibly receive behind these walls. I come back to the unit from work on Thursday… open the door to our room and the door hits something as I attempt to swing it open. As I push a bit harder… I notice something on the floor behind the door and immediately realize that a brand new “mattress” is laying in my room. “No way!” I say out loud as I feel someone come up behind me. I turn around to see my Bunkie smiling ear to ear as obtaining a new mattress in here is a damn near impossible feat but somehow… he did it. “This is my parting gift to you Bunkie”… he says as we embrace… me feeling unbelievably grateful and him feeling extremely accomplished for getting this done. I spend the next hour getting the new mattress set up… opening a fresh pair of sheets that I have been saving for almost a year… tying them on that new bad boy perfectly tight so there isn’t one wrinkle to be found. I lay down that night… and every night since… feeling as though I am at The Four Seasons Maui while also appreciating the fact that a 2 inch prison ‘sleeping mat’ can make a grown man feel this thankful. Ahh perspective.
And we come to this morning… I open my eyes after yet another glorious slumber on my new mattress to the sun rising over the education building outside my window. It is at the perfect level as only the crest has eclipsed the building so there is a soft warmth and light hitting the top of my head. I sit up on my rack and for the next 5 minutes… watch the sun completely rise… lighting up my face and my room with beautiful sunshine. I sit there… in my 6 by 10 concrete rectangle and I can’t help but feel unbelievably grateful.
I hope every single one of you can find a moment or two or 10 instances of unbridled joy out there this week. Whether it is allowing the sunshine to touch your face before the world awakes or just before they tuck in at night. Or maybe it is time with your kids… that new song coming on at the right moment with the windows down… a delicious bite of food… or just a quiet moment. Allow yourself the luxury of enjoying it… it may just set the tone for the whole week ahead.
Stay Healthy. Stay Active. Chin To The Sun.