It seems like it took a year to get here, back home in the Green Mountains. Wait, it almost did ... it's been ten months, ten long months of health issues and wondering whether or not this beautiful place contributed to my ongoing pulmonary issues. My doctor came down on the side of "probably not," so we're home again, breathing the oxygen-rich air and feeling so happy to see our little slice of heaven again. And so far, so good.
It is tempting to write a blog post about the last couple of months, as they were exceptionally hard, both health-wise and with some extended family matters that have caused a great deal of stress. I'm not going to blog about it, though, because, frankly, I'm sick of it all -- sick of being sick, and sick of drama in general. It's in the past, dumped out of my plane somewhere over flyover country. And it doesn't affect my future -- a future filled most immediately with a whole lot of Vermont-style relaxation and ongoing with friends who have spent a whole lot of time lately loving and supporting our family. We especially saw a lot of that these last few weeks, as the Guv's pizza drew dozens of people to our house to break bread with us. It looks as though some of those folks will be flying all the way out here to spend time with us, and we can't wait! We'll show them what we love about the Green Mountains: the simplicity, the gorgeous natural surroundings, the people... I want to show them the shopkeepers I've come to know over the years, take them to taste the farm-fresh cheese, cured meats, and maple syrup -- and take them to my beloved Farmers' Diner, "Food from Here."
There's a vibe in the earth on which I walk in these mountains, a vibe which makes me feel closer to God, closer to understanding myself (the good and the parts that need work!) and closer to my little family of four, which is pretty darned special -- and that's a whole lot more noticeable outside of always-on Silicon Valley and away from the aforementioned crap. There have never been smiles so wide as those on both of my kids as they pulled down our long gravel drive and squealed, "We're home!" They'll be just as excited to return to California, but, for now, they're outside, climbing some trees, looking for frogs and bugs, and living just a little bit more like I did as a farm kid in West Virginia. It makes me proud that they have some mountain spirit in them. It'll make them stronger, which they need to be in this world that's so much crazier than it was when I was their ages. Here's hoping it'll make me stronger, too. Breathing in this cool, fresh air, I feel sure that it will. It's great to be home.
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