feeling alive all over again

With the projects that I have due tomorrow, tonight will prove to be one of little sleep, lots of productivity, and loads of brain sqeezing (in hopes that creativity will seep out).

But I wanted to jot down a thought I had...more like, quickly document a brief experience from tonight. I took the bus home, and was determined to be productive. On the ride home, I was quickly doodling some thumbnails for an assignment due tomorrow, with one bud of my iPod headphones in, when a song came on. Suddenly, I looked up and realized that I loved this experience. This bus ride. As I sat stationary and watched the cars speed past in opposite directions and people go their busy ways, a smile started to spread across my face for no apparent reason, other than the fact that it was dusk--one of my favorite times of day--and that the bumpy rumbling bus had its windows open, so there was a distinct breeze of freshness that brushed across my face and hair, and this song was pulsing in my ear. It was a fabulous feeling that just took me by surprise.

I decidedly hopped off the bus 4 stops prior to my usual stop and, grabbing my camera out of my bag, went to one of my favorite places to watch the last remains of the sunset. It wasn't even that earth-shaking tonight, but an image of simplistic beauty.

I commenced "photographic doodling", as Jeff has so cleverly coined it. I love the fact that Heavenly Father paints a beautiful new picture for us each day and night on His canvas of sky. To me, sunsets feel like a reward for finishing another day, with colors that just hint at what will come of the beautiful sunrise that will surely follow the next morning. If we let it, it leaves us excited for a new day.

(images copyright Kristin Gulledge, 2008)

inner sunshine

I walked home from church today because I had stayed a couple more hours to hear my fabulous friend speak in her ward an hour after mine. It was a clear/rainy/cold/warm somewhat bi-polarish day as far as the weather is concerned. However, when I walked home, it decided to be sunny, with a lot of wind, but warm nevertheless. I loved it. Sure, it would have been made better without my pointy heels (it's like they have a limited 3-hour block guarantee...3 hours of semi-comfort and that's it. After that, it's all pain and suffrage as my feet start to complain). My purse and big bag were kind of hard to carry, because my fingers kept getting slightly numb and my elbow kept locking, but other than that it was a great walk. I reflected on a lot of things, both little musings and bigger issues. Isn't it interesting how weather affects moods? Is it just me? Because I could be having the worst rainy day and for some reason, if the sun decides to grace me with its presence, all the sudden my rainy mood is washed away (or at least diluted a bit) by the sunshine. However, if I'm already in a good mood, and it starts to rain, that amplifies it as well. I'll start to get all happy about the rain and celebrate by dancing or singing in it. I know that one of my best friends Tricia absolutely loves rainy days, no matter what. Her inner sunshine comes in the form of rain. Which is nice...because in that case, one of us will always be in a happy mood to cheer the other up.

And that is life.