Are We There Yet?

As much as I wish this blog post told of adventures in far-flung places like Milwaukee or Dubai or Djibouti, it instead consists of my musings from a quiet breezy home, bees buzzing under the apple tree, peas slowly winding their way up a trellis in the garden, hummingbird collecting nectar from the wildflowers.

Somehow my life this summer- and perhaps for the next year or so- has slowed to a gentle pace. Perhaps this is time to let my living and learning in the past four years age a bit. Perhaps this is my time to collect thoughts, read what I want to read, develop my painting, and maybe in between I can write some insightful blogs. . . It seems also to be a time to dream- to keep my plans wide and free and let no idea be too wild. Beekeeping on a French Canadian farm? Teaching English in Ghana? Organic farming in Australia? Grad school in culinary arts? French pastry school? . . Life is full of possibilities.

In the meantime, I write. In a quiet house I listen to the cheery lilt of a robin in the backyard as a breeze lifts the tree branches and ripples the field in the front yard. I am tempted to ask the question- are we there yet? Am I closer to my goals? To finding a place to seek my passions and serve with my gifts? Will I be there soon? Why is waiting so difficult?

So these are my musings. My summer mood has been caught in periods of waiting. I suppose this lull suits me in a way. I have always enjoyed slow summers when I have time to explore recipes and new flavors in the kitchen, read novels by an open window, enjoying dips in the swimming hole on hot days. But this is the first summer when there is no definite end- no point to look toward when books and pencils and friends are gathered again into another busy school year. So instead, I wait to hear back from the Peace Corps and google travels ideas and dream of my next trip while looking toward a fall of work and bank savings slips. My life in the in-between.