Post #2

There are limits to how much knowledge we can retain, and access, but there is not a limit to our spiritual growth, regardless of mental capacity. No experience is wasted, even if it is forgotten, because all experiences will ultimately be forgotten, but none will have been wasted. There's no need to worry about which path you choose to take, so long as you are moving, and not sitting still, or drifting backward.
...

My grandmother is losing her memory, due to a head injury and a stroke. She is a courageous, intelligent, and incredibly strong-willed woman. She got her pilots license at 16. She was a nurse in the army. I know so little about her, and I am her only grandchild. She gave me my very first journal, before I had even begun kindergarten. My uneven, awkward letters sprawled across the pages at a heavy slant, with a large period carefully placed after every phonetically spelled word. After I graduated from highschool, she took me on a cruise of the British Isles, along with my aunt, Tori, who recently contacted me for the first time since then. Tori wants me to take a road trip with her to Florida, to see my grandmother before her condition worsens. She wants to go sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas--this year. That side of my family is very small. It's just my grandma, my dad, my aunt, and myself. It's been four years since I've seen my grandma, five years since I've seen my dad, and seven since I've seen my aunt. I have no idea how I will make this trip happen, but I know I need to.

It seems to be the year of reunions in my life. I leave tomorrow to go to my sister's wedding in Austin. I haven't been to Texas or seen my mom's side of the family in over ten years. I'm really looking forward to it, although flying is always a challenge for me. On the way there, I will stop over in Washington to spend two nights with my good friend Rebecca, who is building a little house on wheels. I've always admired her independence and her seemingly effortless ability to be herself. She just does her own thing, without fear of embarrassment or judgement. I guess it makes sense that being oneself shoudn't take effort, but it does for me. I am terribly quick to adjust my interests, mannerisms, and appearance in an attempt to connect with someone I admire. But if I know someone long enough, and well enough, that impulse fades and my true self surfaces--much to the annoyance of those who liked who they thought I was, and much to the relief of those who prefer who I really am.

Next time I'll actually use a prompt from the book, as planned. I guess today I just needed to get a few things off my mind. Thank you for taking the time to read this--I hope you are doing well!

Take care,
Leeann