If you turn left off our street and then drive just around a short bend, you’ll be driving straight towards a wall of mountains whose view fills the entire horizon. On a clear day every peak and every sheer face of ice and snow is visible. On a sunny day, the light actually reflects off of them.
To get to my parents’ house—20 minutes from here in the adjacent town—I turn right at the end of that road and then take a left. The road leads up and I drive, picking up speed to reach the faster limit as the road turns into highway. My adrenaline and excitement pick up speed as well, and I smile when this sunny song comes on the radio.
A very good friend of mine
Told me something the other day
I’d like to pass it on to you,
‘Cause I believe what he said to be true
We’re here for a good time
Not a long time (not a long time)
So have a good time
The sun can’t shine every day
There’s something about this road. To the south is a valley where the land dips out of sight, making it feel as though this highway is at the top of the world.
I love this drive.
It never fails to leave me paused in time, especially on a sunny day (which, around here, come often). Tucked behind trees I see houses and imagine living in them in this beautiful location just beyond the city. Here and there are abandoned barns and the occasional piece of rusting farm equipment. It’s a landscape that speaks to me despite having grown up in a city known more for flowers and ocean than wide open spaces and bales of hay.
Where do you live? Do you notice what’s around you or does the scenery fade into the background of your days? Does anything ever catch your eye?
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the stuff we have to do. The first part of my day today was a rush of tidying and cleaning after Connor had a massive nosebleed in the middle of the night. We had blood on clothes, beds, carpets. I was desperate to get the laundry’s critical path right before leaving for a walk with a friend in the afternoon lest we end the day with no sheets and a pile of sopping wet bedding. I managed to get all the beds stripped and one load of laundry started and then another load started and the first load finished before I had to leave the house.
I walked with my friend in the crisp spring air and after our walk I hit the highway.
…Every year has its share of tears,
Every now and then it’s gotta rain
Things aren’t perfect. There’s always laundry and the dishwasher seems to require emptying every time I turn around. Rich has been sick and Connor has been sick and I’m tired. But life can’t be perfect all the time.
We’ve had our share of rain. I certainly did in my last postpartum phase. That wasn’t just rain – it was a massive, ongoing deluge.
But right now life is good.
The sun can’t shine every day, but the rain brings perspective.
I believe that to be true, so while my sun is out I’m going to bask in the good times.
