You have probably heard some combination of the words “Fortune Favors”, whether it was with bravery or boldness. Like crossing your fingers tightly, uttering these words is a little prayer to be steadfast - unwavering in body and mind. Any time you are about to roll the dice of life, these words are your verbal cloak. Say ‘em and send it.
This blog was dreamed up on the idea that our fortune - both the good and bad - starts long before bravery or boldness. Fortune is cut from the cloth of process, mined in the “woah” of adventure, and shined in the act of reflection. Fortune is easy to spot in success, but just like the sun, it’s always there, even on rainy days.
The truth, as far as I can make it out to be, is that fortune favors… anything. You just have to be willing to laugh at what is and be curious about what is not.
You need not always be bold or brave. Just remember to cross your fingers before you go.
is grief an ocean or a wave?
The thing about grief is that it changes shape.
At times, grief is all-consuming. It overrides every thought. It is immediate and it is total. It’s like this swelling of emotion, where you feel the assuredness pulling out from under you… and then swish, the wave hits. And even though a wave is over in seconds, it has the potential to knock you down; to disorient you. When grief swells and takes hold of you, it has a similar effect. In grief, you are still the same person with the same abilities, but your mind and body are just too busy to be anything other than grieving.
Memory Meals
Food is a portal. Do you remember what your lunch looked like in elementary school or high school? How did your plate change when you started to pick out your own groceries? What is the one dish that you can't wait to see at the family party? My favorite foods are the foods of my favorite people, both past and present.
love can mend your life, but love can break your heart.
Many, many times I have tried to articulate the appeal of the marathon. Running, to me, seems to be a nearly universal expression of freedom. The open roads, the endless trails, and the countless wide-open fields all call our weary legs for one more mile. Still, I understand how running can seem like a club you could never be a part of. Something just out of reach, like the crush you had in junior high. No matter what level of interest you may hold in wanting to know more, there is this invisible barrier that says, “You could never.” In some ways, our extreme passions are our SOSs to the world - a way of expressing our deepest loves.