Beautiful.

I hear myself use this word so often.

Lovely.

Delightful.

Wow wee.

After spending 24 hours with enduring friends

- friends who walked with me out of the sadness

and discombobulation of divorce - I notice that

these words have replaced the words of pain and

despair.

Hot dog!

(Snort...snortly...snort!)

Who knew?

Thanks so much.

Coffee!?!

These words come freely when around the folks

who know me too well.

These people are beautiful to me.

They are funny, irreverent, true, and constant.

Because of them - and so many other kind and

patient people in my life (or cranky and "teaching"

people), words of hope, joy, peace, and beauty

are fresh favorites.

These days.

These days, singing and tears mean joy more often than guilt or shame or fear.

These days, a morning in the garden has more

import than a morning "getting things done."

I am content for the first time in my life.

These good days.

Madi & Kenan, Howard, Kacie, and the Gainesville

crew have made this life Beautiful.

And there is so much more to come.

So much more to share.

More nights on my knees calling out to the

Mystery of the unseen God.

Days of dance mingled with hours of hard work.

Learning.

Adding more life to the crusty vocabulary.

Words of thankfulness.

And surprise like today when I was told that I

finally let people touch me; hand, shoulder,

arm...heart.

It is truly a miracle.

It is scary and vulnerable.

It is beautiful.

So thankful.

Maybe it is true that if we change our words,

we can change our lives.

Or maybe our lives change and our vocabulary

follows.

Grace.