Summer!

Summer--it begins for me today.  I struggled with two voices before getting up, and "lardass!" won.  Peeking out the bathroom window showed a winner of a day and...pelicans, four of them, lazily floating on the bay.  No question where I was riding my bike.  I had to see those guys. For me the pelicans are more than just glorious birds. Tension leaves me as I watch them, their movements graceful, deliberate, focused.  As I neared Edgewater Park, a loud pickup rattled by and the pelicans took off, soaring just above the water, then gaining altitude and clearing the trees.  Man, a great way to begin the summer. My bike's tires crackled and popped as I rode the outer rim of the park.  Sun streamed through the tree trunks, birds called, rabbits hopped about.  Why had I even considered staying in bed a bit longer?  

Now with a good cup of coffee on the porch here, I contemplate the coming months, already mourning the summer equinox when the sun will begin to set further to the south.  How can it be that I'm thinking about that and not appreciateing the "right now"?  Not living in the present will surely do me in. I'm shifting my focus from school (yesterday was graduation) to my adventure with Jane (Africa). Inbetween there's all the "extras" to take care of.  "Kummern" is the German verb for the taking care of stuff, and that's on my plate now for the next five days.

First on the list is a Mayo trip with Pete.  Into the unknown once again. So many questions I have about the days ahead.  So many fears, but so many strategies, so much support I have and am grateful. So here's to you, summer.  Let's have one heck of an adventure.