What an incredible word picture. Now every time I see a truck in front of me...which is quite alot here in Virginia, I will remember to be flexible and willing to travel. :)
On my way home from Uruguay (or was it on the way), a little bird told me to make sure I get a window seat so I can take in the Andes.
What I witnessed was seriously one of the most breathtaking few moments of my life.
Your sketch captures it perfectly.
I started to sing one (to myself, of course) of my favorite hymns, "How Great Thou Art," as the majesty of the Andes reflected how I feel about the God I know and love.
I will never forget it and thanks to your words today, I am opening my heart, mind, and soul to new possibilities in my life.
I will always be grateful you got to witness those magnificent mountains yourself, Mom! I love that we've both basked in the wonder of that particular window seat, even if it was on different flights :)
I've often thought about what events in my life have led to certain roads. I wish I had the opportunity to make those choices again and do something different. But, I guess I'm where I'm supposed to be and I'll try to take comfort in that.
Lovely piece and I'm looking forward to the final installment.
Thank you so much for sharing, Mel, and I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying this series. I hope you can indeed find some comfort in trusting that you're where you're meant to be, and perhaps there are still things to come that wouldn't have unfolded for you had you not made the choices you did. It's always so hard to know at the time though, isn't it? 🤍
I often flew to La Paz, Bolivia and always tried to get a window seat. Because of the high altitude at the airport (over 13,000’, although La Paz is a few hundred feet lower), flights arrived and departed early in the day when it was cooler and the air was denser.
Often, the rising sun was just starting to turn the mountains pink. If the ground wind was blowing the right direction and if I was on the correct side of the plane, the view of Mt. Illimani, the 21,000’ peak south of La Paz, was glorious. It made the struggle to acclimate to the high altitude for the next few days worth the effort. Discomfort and beauty have a way of intermingling.
"Discomfort and beauty have a way of intermingling." I love how you put that -- thanks so much for your poignant words, and for the image of Mt. Illimani, illuminated at sunrise. It sounds breathtaking 🙏
Each time I saw Illimani, I said a little prayer on behalf of the 29 people who lost their lives near the top of the mountain when Eastern Airlines Flight 980 crashed into a glacier at almost 20,000’ on New Year’s Day, 1985. Almost nothing was recovered from the crash site, so the summit seems like hallowed ground to me.
Sometimes death and beauty also intermingle, and each day of our lives is lived on that razor edge. Be grateful, be kind, and be present in this moment.
Just gorgeous. I often ponder all the little micro-events and decisions that needed to happen for me (from the UK) to meet my partner (from Germany) here on the other side of the globe in New Zealand. Is it chance? Or destiny? I lean towards thinking destiny, that it happened the way it needed to happen and couldn't have been any other way....
Thank you so much for sharing a bit of your own story, Vicki, I love that destiny also brought you and your partner together :) And I especially love your use of the phrase 'micro-events' -- that's such a perfect way to describe all the little things that happen along the way before kismet steps in and makes things happen ✨
Life asked me to be like a mudflap on a truck: flexible and willing to travel.
Ha! What fantastic (and imaginatively put) advice 👏👏
What an incredible word picture. Now every time I see a truck in front of me...which is quite alot here in Virginia, I will remember to be flexible and willing to travel. :)
"The only thing that is asked of us..."
This is causing a very serious pause right now.
The sketch of the Andes...wow.
On my way home from Uruguay (or was it on the way), a little bird told me to make sure I get a window seat so I can take in the Andes.
What I witnessed was seriously one of the most breathtaking few moments of my life.
Your sketch captures it perfectly.
I started to sing one (to myself, of course) of my favorite hymns, "How Great Thou Art," as the majesty of the Andes reflected how I feel about the God I know and love.
I will never forget it and thanks to your words today, I am opening my heart, mind, and soul to new possibilities in my life.
Thank you, Candace Rose.
I will always be grateful you got to witness those magnificent mountains yourself, Mom! I love that we've both basked in the wonder of that particular window seat, even if it was on different flights :)
This is beautiful and very insightful.
Thank you so much, Ann -- I'm so glad to hear this spoke to you 🙏
I've often thought about what events in my life have led to certain roads. I wish I had the opportunity to make those choices again and do something different. But, I guess I'm where I'm supposed to be and I'll try to take comfort in that.
Lovely piece and I'm looking forward to the final installment.
Thank you so much for sharing, Mel, and I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying this series. I hope you can indeed find some comfort in trusting that you're where you're meant to be, and perhaps there are still things to come that wouldn't have unfolded for you had you not made the choices you did. It's always so hard to know at the time though, isn't it? 🤍
Beautiful. I'm hoping for a clear day when I fly out of Santiago in a couple of weeks time.
My fingers will be crossed you get to soak up that view very soon!
I often flew to La Paz, Bolivia and always tried to get a window seat. Because of the high altitude at the airport (over 13,000’, although La Paz is a few hundred feet lower), flights arrived and departed early in the day when it was cooler and the air was denser.
Often, the rising sun was just starting to turn the mountains pink. If the ground wind was blowing the right direction and if I was on the correct side of the plane, the view of Mt. Illimani, the 21,000’ peak south of La Paz, was glorious. It made the struggle to acclimate to the high altitude for the next few days worth the effort. Discomfort and beauty have a way of intermingling.
"Discomfort and beauty have a way of intermingling." I love how you put that -- thanks so much for your poignant words, and for the image of Mt. Illimani, illuminated at sunrise. It sounds breathtaking 🙏
Each time I saw Illimani, I said a little prayer on behalf of the 29 people who lost their lives near the top of the mountain when Eastern Airlines Flight 980 crashed into a glacier at almost 20,000’ on New Year’s Day, 1985. Almost nothing was recovered from the crash site, so the summit seems like hallowed ground to me.
Sometimes death and beauty also intermingle, and each day of our lives is lived on that razor edge. Be grateful, be kind, and be present in this moment.
Just gorgeous. I often ponder all the little micro-events and decisions that needed to happen for me (from the UK) to meet my partner (from Germany) here on the other side of the globe in New Zealand. Is it chance? Or destiny? I lean towards thinking destiny, that it happened the way it needed to happen and couldn't have been any other way....
Thank you so much for sharing a bit of your own story, Vicki, I love that destiny also brought you and your partner together :) And I especially love your use of the phrase 'micro-events' -- that's such a perfect way to describe all the little things that happen along the way before kismet steps in and makes things happen ✨
That’s really sweet to contemplate what roads led you together. Feels like you’re supposed to be there. 🥰
Beautiful!