reaching up......

winter is hands down my favorite season.
and it finally felt a little wintery this morning.
the guys continue to run, so i've decided to get out there again too.
and i tell ya, it feels glorious! it is totally where i need to be.
and i'm so grateful to be out there again.

i looked at those bare tree arms against the sky and i just soaked them up.

ever since i was a kid, i thought that was a profound sight.
seeing those tree limbs just reaching up to the heavens...
it would just fill me with such awe that kinda just soaked right down
inside of me...and that feeling has never left me.

yesterday on facebook, i asked people what the best thing that
happened to them in 2011 was. and the whole range of answers
came in.....from love, to sobriety, to finishing goals in the faces
of huge challenges, to surviving.

 knowing some of the stories that were behind the comments,
 i truly felt humbled as i sat there and read them.

and they filled my mind as i walked and looked at those bare tree arms reaching...
reaching to the sky...to the heavens...to god.
and i thought of all the reaching that was done behind those comments
that i read. all the struggle and darkness and all the joy and happiness.
there was birth mentioned in those comments and love......good stuff
along with hard stuff.

reaching, reaching.......all the arms reaching......for help, in happiness
and joy, in fear.......

the whole mix again.
i keep noticing the mix.

i decided i didn't want to 'conquer' my day today.
i wanted to watch it, live it, enjoy it, and reach to the heavens in
all kindsa ways today......but especially in gratitude.

definitely especially in gratitude........