Sunday, June 01, 2008

Treasure Hunting


Last week, life took me treasure hunting. Here's what I found:


--My friend serendipity in the form of a buyer for our house, the day before we left to look for a house in Florida.



--The true definition of courage--being terrified beyond reason and doing it anyway. I've written before about my fear of flying. I've contemplated classes and drugs. I used neither. I was still terrified and said each time we landed at layovers I won't get back on another plane. It took a lot of gathering myself up, holding myself together and letting myself go..alot of not thinking, thinking about something else and breathing through the thoughts that slipped through. I'm not convinced I'll ever get back on another plane...but then again, I know I will.




--Soul gold in the form of an eighty-something year old man named Noel, a retired NY photographer who lives his passion by strolling along the beach every evening photographing families together with their own camera...I think this is the first picture on the beach we've all been in together. I watched this man leave us and move on to the next family and my heart truly had wings.



--Time with a family that has held a special place in my life for the past twenty years. And as timing would have it, I got to be there to celebrate my crazy, sweet, gorgeous friend Lisa's birthday with her. I am truly being reminded lately of the importance of friends, both new and old.



This was a trip about finding not just a house, but a home. And as we sat outside at a little restaurant along the sliver of beach town ten minutes from (knock on wood) our new house, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the treasure that I had found. A place that turned to liquid gold at night, a place whos breeze played with my hair and heart, a place that made me sigh with pleasure...a place that whispered with salty breath in my ear...

welcome home.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just...beautiful.

Shelli said...

My heart is singing for you!! I am thrilled you got on that plane. I'm thrilled your house sold. (truly - that's great!) And, most of all, I'm glad you are going home. Ahhh...perfect!

And that's a great family photo - you should definitely frame it!

Shawn said...

I can see the paradise all across your face. What a weekend for you! You deserve such blessed happiness ... soak it all in and enjoy the chaos as you make this wonderful transition of going home.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you look really happy from the inside out.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations. And, I swear, your two boys are two of the cutest of anyone I've ever known. I never can get over that--it's all in their eyes, I think. Take it easy, greasy.

Shannon said...

Thanks, guys :-) It's nice to share happy moments with you all, too.

Tia Nevitt said...

Aah . . . to live in Florida near the beach. You're describing my home almost exactly, although I'm more like 15 miles from the beach.

I live in the best part of Florida--Jacksonville. It doesn't get as hot as the rest of the state, it has the most beautiful oaks, it has the beach and it's semi-sheltered from hurricanes.