Spring

Staring at the barrels of two guns at point blank range can do nothing but change you.  But for me, it jolted me out of complacency; set aside my fear.  I can look at you down the barrel of your gun and give you everything I have on my back.  I am left standing there with my heart, my spirit, my courage.

Let's do the numbers:

2 boys with guns

6 people in the neighborhood offering help

a dozen friends spending time with me in the next week

100s of people offering acts of encouragement and kindness

...who knows how many people hearing the story, keeping their eyes and ears open; becoming more watchful of each other

When the doors of courage are opened, everything changes.  When we look at the world with an open heart, we become more a part of it; more moved by it; more responsible for it.

As I look to leave the security of a state job and embark on my next journey, I know that I can be in the world courageously.  To walk with courage is not to lose fear, but to keep fear in its place -- it's to embrace the world as it is and for all it is.

It is to find ourselves within ourselves and begin to quietly walk alongside our true spirit and to offer the world our gifts.  It is to see the gifts of this life.

So, as the noise of the acute fear, raised blood pressure, increased adrenaline subside I am left with a deep and abiding calm.  A deep and abiding need to live this life as it is.  After all; it is spring.  And this year, my 44th, this is my personal spring...my vernal equinox.