Yesterday I rode up Grouse Mountain in a Gondola and had dinner at the top looking out to mountains, ocean, and city skyline. It was breathtaking....one of those moments where you really learn your place in the world and realize just what a teeny tiny speck you are. As I looked at the pristine landscape, I just kept thinking over and over, 'Here is proof that God exists in the world.'It's such a relief to feel small sometimes and to realize the inevitability of your own limitations. It's like, I don't have control over the world or even my world, I'm not that powerful; of course I'm going to be imperfect, insecure, and fail sometimes. It takes a weight off my shoulders to understand that with clarity. Being here for a research conference, you meet a lot of people with very inflated senses of themselves because their name is in print a lot of times. The beauty of my surroundings along with the companionship of colleagues and friends has really trivialized that for me. This beauty--that's what matters. Our great conversations, sharing of stories, laughter, Skyping with Jeff, Grace and Zara; setting goals, making plans, promising myself to be more fun, to be happier, to live more simply and to be more thankful--this is what matters.
I'm really thankful for this experience...a chance to get away and chill out, to connect with people, and learn a little more about what makes a good life.
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