Daily flooded with words and images from friends and strangers, whether my Facebook home page, Instagram or my BBC application of tailored world news, I found my own voice increasingly... silent.
What could I say that has not already been 'shared' and 'liked' and debated? I follow encouraging and beautiful blogs of friends and strangers and often, they say it much, much better. I genuinely enjoy being a 'part' of friends lives on Facebook and Instagram as they share pictures and status updates in the midst of their daily living. I think we can all relate to the seasons of wedding pictures, baby pictures, exhausted parent status updates.. I love it all. The connecter in me thrives on knowing how people are doing and noting those milestones in their lives.
This summer in the lush Missouri valley, home to the sweet German town, Hermann, Jon and I celebrated one year of marriage. One evening we sat near an outside fire, roasting marshmallows and savoring the stars, the chocolate, the evening fog, and our friendship. We had joked that this past year would be our 'Old Testament Year' where we intentionally focused on nurturing our fledgeling marriage in season of travel. We left our 'normal' in community and went the road less traveled, choosing to put most of our belongings in storage and make home together.. on the journey.
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| Sunrise, Hermann, MO |
As we sat reflecting on our fire lit evening, the treasures of this past year could not be measured.
I am the self-nominated social networker in our marriage, and certainly post my share of pictures and up-dates, mainly for family benefit. But, for a girl who loves to journal and write, this past year has been very quiet. I believe that was one of the treasures for me.
God gave us this year of adventure, laughter, bonding over hotel cooking, tears at leaving new good friends, loneliness for community, camping escapades, dining disasters and the eternal coffee shop searches. And I have held it all close to my heart.
As much as we reflected on this past year, we also daydreamed about tomorrow. We chuckled over the reality that we have less answers now and more questions about what the future holds. But we also have less anxiety. We know that we have hard days ahead... but so many beautiful moments to uncover, new faces to embrace, growing and aging... and really, an eternity of adventuring.
Almost as if marking the one year point, my fingers started that familiar itch, seeking to communicate to write, to share.
And so here I am, with a new season of stories and a new city and itchy fingers, I mean, blogging intentions. And not just for friends and family, but actually... for me.
I am still learning the balance of quiet and sound. I believe this year of quiet soul rest and journeying has imprinted in me a sweet delight in holding some moments so very close. And that is a good thing. But we were not designed to keep it all quiet and that is also a good thing. I find myself stretching in new ways in this freedom to invite others, into our real life, with the hilarious mishaps, the well water sad, and the exultant joys.
