"The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and
cities; but to know someone who thinks and feels with us, and who,
though distant, is close to us in spirit; this makes the earth for us an
inhabited garden.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
last night i awoke at that awful hour of three am. that time when our circulating feel good hormones are at their lowest and our angst is at its highest. all i could think about was that my mother was very far away- across a very large ocean - too far to get to quickly if something happened. at three am, why i moved to africa made no sense. what on earth i was doing living, growing, and planting myself on the flip side of the world from my home- seemed absurd. but it was three am, so i rolled over and went back to sleep.
a few hours later i woke up, took the kids to school and went to my friend's house to do crossfit. it was early and raining and i didn't really want to jump around in the driveway to rihanna- except that everything is bearable with community. after our warm up jog - i was ready. bring it. because with 6 other people sprinting early in the rain, even hard and painful things become enjoyable.
as we crunched and box-jumped and burpeed, i thought of how hard it was in the US to motivate my patients to exercise- and how they were often depressed and isolated. i thought about the military and boot camp and how i imagine that you push yourself harder, because how strong and endurant you are might one day, save the life of the person doing push ups next to you.
togetherness gives us strength and accountability and often humor. we are meant to live this way. we are communal beings. sharing our lives and our mornings and our stories- this is important and energizing and healing.
at the end of the hour i was wet and muddy but happy and rejuvenated. in the daylight i could see that our living and planting here, has grown us beautiful new communities- in mukono and kampala. with the sun shining through the last rain clouds, i could feel the huge blessing of those in my life who think and feel and run and talk and dance with me. i still miss my mom, and my home, my people there- but i'm so thankful for all who are close in spirit- making this world a full and beautiful inhabited garden.
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
last night i awoke at that awful hour of three am. that time when our circulating feel good hormones are at their lowest and our angst is at its highest. all i could think about was that my mother was very far away- across a very large ocean - too far to get to quickly if something happened. at three am, why i moved to africa made no sense. what on earth i was doing living, growing, and planting myself on the flip side of the world from my home- seemed absurd. but it was three am, so i rolled over and went back to sleep.
a few hours later i woke up, took the kids to school and went to my friend's house to do crossfit. it was early and raining and i didn't really want to jump around in the driveway to rihanna- except that everything is bearable with community. after our warm up jog - i was ready. bring it. because with 6 other people sprinting early in the rain, even hard and painful things become enjoyable.
as we crunched and box-jumped and burpeed, i thought of how hard it was in the US to motivate my patients to exercise- and how they were often depressed and isolated. i thought about the military and boot camp and how i imagine that you push yourself harder, because how strong and endurant you are might one day, save the life of the person doing push ups next to you.
togetherness gives us strength and accountability and often humor. we are meant to live this way. we are communal beings. sharing our lives and our mornings and our stories- this is important and energizing and healing.
at the end of the hour i was wet and muddy but happy and rejuvenated. in the daylight i could see that our living and planting here, has grown us beautiful new communities- in mukono and kampala. with the sun shining through the last rain clouds, i could feel the huge blessing of those in my life who think and feel and run and talk and dance with me. i still miss my mom, and my home, my people there- but i'm so thankful for all who are close in spirit- making this world a full and beautiful inhabited garden.
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