Finish

There was more than one goal this summer. More than one finish line. It was more than just seeing the country. More than just ignoring the real world. It was more than just raising money. More than just fostering hope. It was more than making friends. More than turning over new leaves. It was more than taking risks. More than discovering something new about yourself every day. It was life, simplified.

Reach out

I know she's living there, loves me to this day.

Fall here

Fleeting sun sheds itself upon weathered barks, knowing well its delicate shadow. Go then, to where the leaves still carpet the earth.

Reunion

I always like to say I learned something new today. This does not always hold true, but it just so happens that today was a special day. Standing before a classroom of third-graders, teaching them the ways of the desert, I reminisced, in vivid detail, the ease of childhood. The exuberance of speech and play. The sheer joy in pictures and laughter. Excitement abounds for show-and-tell and an early lunch. Nearly anything and everything I said cultivated giggles and innocent awe from my audience. Oh, how I miss these days.