Years Later

Hard to believe it's March 2011 and I haven't written for so long. There have been some wonderful moments of grace in these past months. And, of course, there have been challenges.

Where did the time go? I took at job in Auburn a year ago last January that lasted six months. It was a wonderful job in many ways. I made new friends and got caught up on some office technology. I learned I can still "suit up" and old skills are still useful too. Skills like working well with others.

That job went away because of a Federal snag and I was o.k. with that. I'd done what I came there to do and the long hours and commute were not easy. I did feel my 63 years during some of that experience. Then I jumped into a political campaign and ran for an office. If it's not worth doing right, it's not worth doing at all, so I gave it my best on a limited budget with two bad feet that apparently do not like precinct walking at all. Came in 4th out of 22, so I got elected, but the measure to create the city whose city council I would have served on failed. As I tell my friends, I'm citycouncilwoman-elect in perpetuity. Or until someone else comes along and gets the new city going.

I put my business aside for that experience and now I'm giving it CPR. I'm very grateful opportunities are springing up, and if I just show up and do the work, business will be fine.


But I seem to be stuck in a few areas. I lack discipline to accomplish as much as I could each day. I still hate going to the gym and each day I have to force myself to go. I'm always glad when I', through, but ugh, it's even hard forcing myself to put on the gym clothes. I know I need to do this, it's the best thing I can do for myself right now, but I miss the old days of riding my bike along the river for 10 miles five days a week. It just doesn't work out right now, but it was a healthier thing to do in many ways.

Spiritually, I seem to growing again, which is nice. I was pretty stuck for a while. Now contemplative prayer and deeper reading of current authors is giving me a sense that I'm not alone in my situation. I don't think God ever left, God is everywhere all the time, but the God so many people seem so sure of doesn't fit with my idea of a loving God or a truly intimate relationship with God.

My run for office made me want to commit to improving our community, but it is a daunting task with new massage parlors and marijuana dispensaries and grow houses popping up everywhere as long-standing businesses I grew up with close their doors.

I don't know where this blog will take me, but it's time to get it moving again. Too many people encouraged me along the way. Their support and friendship during the years I wrote weekly columns are a big part of the reason I can actually call myself a writer today. I begin and end with gratitude for all the gifts I have been given and prayers for the homeless, the victims in Japan and people in countries where new wars seem to show up with regularity. May we all know peace in this lifetime. peace, pat