noticing

hill running.

this week.
i’m hanging with three 
of my very favorite
young man 
souls.


this morning,
when two of those
young man souls and myself
were out for a blustery
morning stroll,
we did a lot of running.

these boys like the run.
just about everywhere.

even up hills.
(it’s truly inspiring).

there was a particular hill
that dropped nearly
straight down

and one little man
insisted on running
up & down it
…six times.

after having run up it once myself,
i stood at the top
shouting down my encouragement:

“you can do it! 
yeah!! 
alright! 
almost there!”

this little runner man,
i started to notice,
would deliberately stop
multiple times
in the middle of his climb.

he would look straight at me
just waiting–
to hear me call his name
with encouragement.

when i asked him why
he stopped half way up the hill
he responded with a shrug,
“just like to hear
ya call my name.”

it’s good to be known.

and it’s so very good 
to be seen.

isn’t it?

– n.

the day of love

another world.

shhhh.


can you hear it?
can you hear the
moving
shifting
coming
turning…?

can’t you?
can’t you hear it?


in the spontaneous purchased flowers.
in the friend’s honest answer.
in the shaky ‘no’ exercised today.
in your newest idea.
in the chance encounter.

yes. 
there it is now.
you can feel it.
you can.

in that moment with the radio.
in your boy’s innocent question.
in the rhythm of typing keys.
in the brighten candle.
in the rise and fall of your breath.

another world.
it’s brewing.
if you listen
{and you must listen}
we can hear her breathing . . .

 – n.

extra courage.

start.
…hesitate.
start again.
then…stop.


i watched a young girl
do this precise
dance
while trying to cross the street
this morning.


cars passing her by the many
she struggled to know
when.
to make that move.
that step.


i wanted her to be careful.
the cars were moving too quickly
for neighborhood streets and
paying no mind
to a little girl 
in a purple hood.


you can do it,
i heard myself whisper inside
my thoughts.


those first steps often require
the most intention.
and courage.

directions were being hollered
from across the street.
“go, go, go!”
“no, no. wait wait!”
“come on!“


but still she hesitated.
something hesitated.

no doubt she could do it
on her own.
she looked more than capable with
a younger-brother-hand 
tightly
encased in her own.
no doubt she’d done it
countless
times before.


but sometimes the road.
the same as yesterday
looks different
today.
the thing you did yesterday
it feels unknown today.
different somehow.


another car.
“not yet!”
“wait wait!”
“no, no, not now.”


and sometimes
even those trying to be helpful
are just words
floating
in the space around you.


the intention
and courage are inside.
you know they are.
but summoning them
in that moment
seem impossible.


there i was.
standing next to the
purple hood.


sometimes asking is the 
hardest part.


i put my hand out.
found her wide brown eyes
staring back at me.
“maybe we can go together.”
i ask.


she breathed deep
and nodded up at me.


and together we went.
both
fully capable on our own.
but together nonetheless.


sometimes we need 
that extra
courage.
to do the very thing
right in front of
us.


today.
may that extra courage
find you.


mine did.


– n.

one. then two. then twenty.

one.
then two.
then five.
then twenty.
and then one hundred thousand.
all
falling
together.


and hours later.
our world is.…


sweaters.
tugged in tighter.
warm beverages 
cupped between thankful
hands.
cozy-ers cozy in to their
someone closer.


and the candles lite hold 
the color
of our glowing, flickering existence.


and hours later.
our world is….


have i ever seen this 
brillance of new 
before?
every time i ask myself.


my collection of memories seem
to encourage me that…
yes.
in fact i know this.


but the shimmer. 
gentle gracing.
resting.
delighting.
being.


all. it all is new.
every time.
new again.


and hours later.
our world is 
completely changed….

covered.
…..in snow.




it’s the best, right?






– n.