Returning Home, Travel, Treasure, and A Message and Prayer

"To all the ships at sea and all the ports of call. To my family and all friends and strangers. This is a message and a prayer. The message is that my travels taught me a great truth. I already had what everyone was searching for, and few ever found. The one person in the world who I was born to love forever. A person, like me, of the outer banks and the blue Atlantic mystery. A person is rich in simple treasures. Self-made. Self-taught. A harbor where I am forever home. And no wind, or trouble, or even a little death can knock down this house. The prayer is that everyone in the world can know this kind of love and be healed by it. If my prayer is heard, there will be an erasing of all guilt and all regret and an end to all anger. Please, God. Amen."
— Nicholas Sparks

The sunrise over my shoulder is breathtaking. I'm back in my purple bean bag writing chair, coffee to my right, my pup is sitting behind me chewing on a pizzle. Our three-day journey ended yesterday; the car is unloaded, we are back living in the mountains.

We got home and put things away; we watched a program on Netflix before heading down the hill to Brooks Place Tavern. We had planned a reunion of sorts, seeing friends we had not seen since our early October departure. It was a great coming home party; we drank, ate, laughed, and caught up on four months of life.

Our day started in Atwood, KS, in a large home with a green shag carpet. It was a retro home, much like staying in a museum. Next, we packed up and headed west; we saw our first mountains at 11:00 a.m., visited our favorite dispensary to get some sleep aids, and then arrived home about 1:00. For the last 10 hours of our trip, we listened to the book by Dave Grohl about his life; I recommend the book, the man, has great stories.

We have plans to brunch with another group of friends to catch up again; they will go to a concert; I think we will take it easy at home; a three-day car trip tends to take it out of someone our age. Thankfully our health has returned, both of us feel back to normal; it's a great way to start our western residency.

I just snapped a photo of the sunrise; I'll share it with this soup, it's a magical experience waking up watching the world wake up with increasing light, warming temperatures, and birds that are looking for us to put out some seed that's on my list to do this morning, the birds need some feed!

It looks like a major snowstorm hit the New England area. However, we got very fortunate with our weather, blue skies the entire way, it was 50 in KS, and we got home to t-shirt weather. You never know what you might run into driving 1187 miles from home in the middle of winter. But alas, spring will be here soon; we will jaunt to MX next week and return to the snow melting and the springtime animals gracing us with their presence.

My beautiful wife is up; I got my first kiss; she's talking to her cat, Gracie, who missed us, as did my cat Tee Tee. Parker Van Halen is being reminded who the bosses are at the mountain house; she's taken a couple of swipes to the face; I think she now remembers her place. Our cats are 15 and 20 years old, and they act like kittens.

I just set my computer clock back to Moutain Time, something I've learned to do when arriving "home." My son just sent me a note telling me he loved me and would do what he thinks is suitable for his family. I'm proud of him; he's become a man; although I don't understand him, I'm sure my father didn't understand me when I was 26, so it's part of our life's journey. 

I met a new friend last night; we sat down at our big table of friends. I had bought several copies of Matthew McConaughy's journal he released based on his book green lights. It's a tool that he prompts you to begin a daily journal; I have my way of sharing my life but thought it a good gift for our friends in the west.

The first page of the journal asks, "we all ask ourselves questions; let's make sure we answer." So yesterday, I thought about my questions, and I penned four, and I'll add to it today. So my questions for myself are as follows:

Who am I, and what will I become?

Where am I, and where will I go?

How do I become more than I am?

What can I give to others?

I will craft answers to these and add to my questions; I'll make this a daily practice; my handwriting is poor, I'll try and take my time so my future self can read my script.

The sun is out; the sky is blue, there is not a cloud in the sky, it looks like it will hit almost 50 up here, we will take our pup for a walk around the hood. The first walk back west is always harder due to not acclimating to the elevation. It takes a few days, but soon, we will be running around leaning into life at 8232 feet above sea level.

I bought some enormous white robes for my wife and me to use when getting in our hot tub. I think tonight to be a night we dine and then get a glass of wine and enjoy the stars, the snow, the cold air, and warm water. We're blessed beyond measure; thank you, something bigger than myself, for giving me the life I have and a future that seems full of travel and treasure.

"To all the ships at sea and all the ports of call. To my family and all friends and strangers. This is a message and a prayer. The message is that my travels taught me a great truth. I already had what everyone was searching for, and few ever found. The one person in the world who I was born to love forever. A person, like me, of the outer banks and the blue Atlantic mystery. A person is rich in simple treasures. Self-made. Self-taught. A harbor where I am forever home. And no wind, or trouble, or even a little death can knock down this house. The prayer is that everyone in the world can know this kind of love and be healed by it. If my prayer is heard, there will be an erasing of all guilt and all regret and an end to all anger. Please, God. Amen."
— Nicholas Sparks