things.

Recently a lady told me that she was convinced her dog was deficient in Vitamin D. Upon inquiry as to why she thought this, Mrs. X replied, "because our house is in a very shady area and barely gets any sun." Okay, I guess that makes sense. So we talked a little about some vitamins or supplements she could give her sun-deprived canine to make sure he was getting enough. A little further into the conversation, Mrs. X lowered her voice and said, "between you and me, the real reason I think X is not getting enough Vitamin D is because I recently went to my doctor and found out that I don't have enough Vitamin D!" Okay. "...I know it's kind of crazy to think that, but I just feel like me and X are so connected that when I'm lacking something he is too!" I promised her I would get the vitamins ready and hoped to see her soon.

But sometimes I do wonder if humans are lacking in something if another human is lacking in it too? Or if you get sick, then all of a sudden you start feeling better, only to find your housemate in bed with the sniffles. I don't know. I'm just saying that it's something to consider. And if something like that did happen, maybe we ought to give credit where it's due.

on still behaving shyly around eligible strangers.

I have a few things to say about this. (The photograph and others things.) Firstly, I did not take this picture. That acknowledgement goes to Johan Stolpe. Most of you know who the subject is.
Secondly, I'd like to give you some advice on walking trails with someone. If you love some one romantically, it's usually o.k. to let them know that. If you love some one platonically, it's usually even more o.k., too. What I have learned from many many days and hours and minutes is the importance of sweetness. What I mean is that if we are completely honest with ourselves there are a few handfulls of people on our trails that think, act, or do most exactly the same things as we do. More often than not, we may find ourselves trekking up and down hills with someone who has a little stronger opinions, or says weird things, or plays in the sand. We can either keep hiking or turn back in search of a traveling party who only eat marshmellows and wear Patagonia. Oftentimes, however, if we keep walking, or even just moving, our peculiar companions lead us to really great vistas, and greater sliding rocks, or the best kissing trees. So many times I have thought of turning back on this long journey to search for my marshmellow-loving, fleece-wearing strangers. But, I always meet the faces of my faithfully-opposite journeyers, especially one in particular, and I can't help but turn my heels and lengthen my stride to catch back up. There is always some thing more to show me just around that next bend.

Famous

I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous,
or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular,
but because it never forgot what it could do.
-Naomi Shihab Nye (B. 1952)

In Summery

[polaroid by Geoffrey Chamis-Jensen]

i think i did not know what to expect from the months between april &september.
whether they would be fast or sluggish or chilly or warm.
i suppose all of these.
i think i did not know what to expect of you at our casita under the Bougainvillea vines.
whether you would visit often or little or drink tea or play games.
i suppose none of these, really.
i think i did not know what to expect from 2,219 x 5,280 feet.
whether they would cry or smirk or well-come me if i could.
i suppose the last one.
i think i did not know what to expect when i traded those cuatro neumáticos para dos neumáticos.
whether i would be pedaling or sweating or proud.
todo tres, you know.
i think i did not know what to expect when i became friends with mamas &papas, esposos y esposas.
whether they would invite me over or rose garden the desk or ignore my humble conversaciones.
i suppose you can figure this one out, easily.
i think i did not know what to expect when i started growing un corazón fiel, dos manos honestas y dos pies pacíficos.
whether my bitterness could disfigure all that faithfullness?
creo que yo todavía pienso de eso.

50 gallon fish tank

I want every one to eat three full meals today.
I want us to utilize public transportation &bicycles.
I want every car I see to have at least 5 people in it, unless it can seat more.
I want my heart to be still when I pass older, Hispanic gentlemen.
I want to have quality dialogue with strangers.
I want to put up lost &found signs for the family whose retriever went missing.
I want to rest fully.
I want His whispers.
I want to love more simply.
I want to live more sincerely.

on being joyful&content.

I am a minimalist when it comes to running. [Please note, I said running, not writing.]
Not the actual running part, but just the "gear" that is brought along with me. Apart from my trusty sneakers, old teeshirts, &swishy shorts, I am a lean, mean...uhhh, well, you know the rest. Sometimes my wrist carries a watch, but as of late, it has not. Summer evenings are good for jogs with no deadlines, nothing to race home to, &only the slowly sinking skyline to remind you that dinner should be ready soon. &ever since I made the jump to no ipod, my runs have become more feather-finding, less oblivious to dirt packed under my soles. I scrawled a page in my journal one morning, after a particularly freeing frollick through the hills of Santa Barbara, &it was simply this:
running brings joy.
that`s it. because on that day, those few hours spent exploring&thinking&praying&singing&living, my heart beat not blood, but joy through my veins.
I have tried many a time to mimick that run, &all the things that came along with it, but of course, joy runs come when least expected. Today was a day like any other. I awoke &attended church &did other sunday things, &then, like those old Nike commercials, I "just did it." I laced up my grey nb`s with my special socks from dad, &I was off! [not streaking, mind you, I just didnot mention the rest of my clothing...] It was hot today, &I have a talent for sweating in even mid seventies weather. &I don`t mean the cute "glisten" type sweat; I mean soaking wet sweat. Now you know. On my way past the Presbyterian Church, I spied a feather, &I knew that it was a joy-run-sort-of-day.
&my heart has been indecisive, &unsettled &restless these "passing sunrises &sunsets," but today,
today was a day like no other.
Hallelujah, Jesus.