Brightness falls, crossing endless distance.
Warmth - Relaxed ---   Touched
Bounding and running it holds us all.
Touched - Together ---   Wrapped in it
Upside down or right-side up; we feel it.
It hold us - Protected ---    Together

I have a confession.  I did not take this photo today.  I know I had planned on only posting photo's taken on the very day I post, but sometimes life happens.  The poem however was written today.  

Is it time yet?  I feel like I am getting cabin fever.  Somebody say something.  

He knew it and exploited it from day one, and because of its weight it's become stuck.  And now, like Excalibar, there is only one way it can be removed.  The only problem is that King Arthur wants me to chisel it out with a 16-penny-nail and a rock rather than him doing it for me.  I guess there is something he wants me to learn.

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or saver)  the world.  This makes it hard to plan the day." E.B. White  
Today I chose to Enjoy, even though I had to wake up a 4 a.m. to do it.

What I Fear:
"Love is passion, obsession, something you can't live without."  It's something to get swept away in, lost in, and worth falling head over heals for.  It's a reason to live, and it's worth dying for.  But this kind of love is also what I fear -Because if Love is as I say; passion, obsession, something you can't live without, then losing it is misery, a lack of light in complete darkness.  It's falling endlessly while standing still.  And what I fear most about losing this love, - losing her, losing them, is that for me it would be worth dying for. 

I had a hard time picking the photo for today, but ultimately I decided on the one above one I took of a lady at a Tea Party rally.  In case you are interested, here are some more pics from the day.  

I have always believed that there is a connection between all of us as humans.  The more time people spend together, and the more work they put into the relationship, the stronger the bond.  When love is involved, this link becomes binding.  - Today though, I felt for the first time how strong and physical this bond can be. -  This morning I dropped off my wife and kids at the airport.  After saying my goodbye's I started to walk away.  I felt the connection between us start to stretch.  Like a rubber band I felt the pull of their love.  Every step in the opposite direction, the tighter the pull.  I still feel it now, even thousands of miles away.   

Below are some pictures I took as I was feeling this pull.

I often find myself watching a movie like Swiss Family Robinson, or Harry Potter, and wanting to be the Robinsons or the Weasleys.  I have no desires to be wealthy (maybe a little) or to have tons of material possessions.  I just want a close family, happiness, humility, and above all, a close family (yes I know I said it twice).  As long as I can live in a nice location with a comfortable home, I'll be ecstatic.  I want my kids to sleep in old creaky beds with so much character, that they tell you their stories as you sleep.  I want a couch you get lost in, and old home-made blankets that hug you with the ancient warmth of the world.  I want a house where secrets of love and happiness are held tightly inside and haunting outside winds are never felt.  I want love to  crackle and beat from the warmth of an old fire place.  I want a kitchen that smells of happiness; a smell that penetrates and latches onto the soul.  Ultimately, I want a home, not a house.   

Every day I have three moments of absolute joy.  The first occurs at 6 in the morning.  This is when I am done eating breakfast, and I sit down on my couch and begin to read.  I cuddle up with a warm fleece blanket and I just read in complete silence for half an hour.  The second moment usually occurs around 4:30ish when I walk through the door of our apartment.  This is when I see 3 smiling faces ready to great me with life fulfilling hugs, kisses and a few hours of play.  The third moment takes place around 9 every night.  This is when both kids are down for the night and Erika and I can just sit and watch TV together on the couch.  If I could just make money doing these three things, I would be a billionaire.    

Every Sunday I feel as though I am standing outside a big red door.  Beyond this door is a narrow path.  This path is lined on each side with tall brick walls.  The path is long and straight, with no end in site.  I know from experience, that to walk the entire distance of this path, it takes 4 and a half days.  On this 4 and a half day journey, there is no food or water except for what you take with you.  For me, I try to save enough water so that I can have just a little bit evey day.  By Friday though, I am craving a feast so much, that I often begin to run even though the door at the end is knowhere to be seen.  Just when I am about to give up hope though, a door appears before me.  As I burst through this door, it is always the same.  There is a large banquet laid out for me.  For 2 and a half days, I feast and feast, and I drink and drink.  While I sit and feast though, partaking in the bounty, there is a red door on the other side of the room that seems to gets bigger and bigger.  I try to ignore it, but as it grows, it starts to loom over me.  Then the food starts to slowly disappear until it is all gone.   My only option then is to go through the red door, and start the journey all over again.   ~ I wish the banquet was endless and that there was no red door. ~