A Beautiful Life

How many times do you stop in the middle of the day just to breathe in the sights and sounds of life around you? I'm staring outside the windows of the library right now, appreciating the beautiful sunny day, and counting my blessings. Last weekend I visited my dad in Pennsylvania for Father's Day and spent all day Friday and Saturday exploring the Amish countryside on a bike, attending festivals, and dancing to folk music. On the drive back down to Anderson on Sunday, I got to spend a lot of time in the car by myself, thinking about how much my life has changed in the past couple of years. When I walked into my house late Sunday night, the sweet smell of home caught me offguard, and I spent the next few seconds soaking in the wonderful feeling of finally having a place to call my own. Every home has a special scent, and you don't realize it until you come back after being away for a while. It's hard to describe the smell of my home. Certain words come to my mind like vanilla scented candles, hardwood floors, laundry detergent, flowers, spices from the kitchen... but no one word can do it justice. I love my home. The housewarming party was a huge success, by the way, and I was somewhat overwhelmed by how many friends dropped by. It was a good feeling, and now my home is filled with all kinds of gifts that remind me of the people in my life. I look in my kitchen and see the kitchen towels from Marie hanging on the side of the oven, the flowers from Taru on the windowsill, the cutting board from Mary on the countertop, the ivy from Samantha hanging right outside the kitchen door... There used to be a time in my life when I hated receiving gifts, but now I realize how foolish that is. Gifts remind me of my friends, the wonderful people that God has placed in my life. Every time I see a gift from a person, I smile and remember how beautiful life is.