It has been almost six months since I have written anything I wanted to publish. Sometimes freedom from our former overwhelming obligations take us to drifting aimlessly in a world without such obligations. There are so many things I could be doing, that I am almost paralyzed into doing nothing.

These last six months I have been doing a lot of soccer refereeing and recovering from soccer referee injuries. It seems the refereeing is going well and then I tweak a calf muscle or twist a knee and then I am doing intensive physical therapy for two weeks so I can get back on the pitch.

Summer has completely truncated by refereeing, with the 95-100 degree temperatures and no one daring to initiate a soccer tournament during this kind of hazardous weather.

This also means that summer trips and sporadic day trips have taken precedence over consistent rigorous exercise. It is so much easier to meet physical obligations, those things which require moving the body, instead of non-physical activities, such as writing, relearning Hebrew, studying the influence of Aramaic on the biblical writings, and home projects.

Yet, today I noticed that our Turks Cap plant had a blossom. It has been at least three months since we planted this native plant and I’ve seen numerous plants blossoming in other yards, but today was the first day we have a blossom.

It made we realize that it takes time to develop new patterns of living when you move. It takes time to grow new friendships in a place completely unfamiliar to you. It takes time to uncover or discover your place in a new environment. Being in a new place seems to have restricted the flow of energy I usually have to envision new ways of experiencing the world, to create opportunities to expand my horizons, and to participate in whatever place I am now.

So today I am committing to being more active in where I am this moment. I am still missing those patterns of life I used to have. I am still mourning the loss of friendships I used to depend upon to be who I am and to seek creative ways to use my time. But today the time is now, today is the moment I say “yes,” today is when the dam begins to leak and the waters begin to flow.

Hoping your day is a good day and you will find what you seek, experience the now, and give thanks for every breath you are given.

Peace to you, Randy