on beauty that made me laugh in delight

Strange, wonderful world. Every day is a surprise lately. I'm changing things in my life, and everyone reacts in surprising ways to my news. With much more grace than I expected. And this is such a beautiful, beautiful world. Of that I'm more sure every day too.

Drove through what they call the "Texas Hill Country" today--this area in the center of Texas that has these wild shrubby hills, and around every corner, another breathtaking vista. Seriously, I'd round another bend and put my hand to the windshield wanting to touch the beauty in some tangible way. And then I'd take a deep breath in like the beauty was filling up my lungs. I was breathing in peace and the powerful beauty of nature that makes everything in life seem less dramatic or worrisome.

Then stopped at Canyon Lake, hiked down the hillside to the lake and sat on a rock until the sun came out from behind a big cloud and started sizzling my skin. Watched the beautiful child play at the waterside, then traversed back up the hill, my heart pounding from the foreign exertion, so delighted even as I was heaving in in and out because I've found a medication that finally helps my chronic health condition. I collapsed on my back at the top of the hill under a shade tree and laughed.

I'm moving away from Texas in a couple weeks. Don't know if I'll take another drive through the hill country. Makes it all that much more sweet. Today was a gift.