soul/sole friend.

i went hiking in griffith park today, and it was quite a trek. i had done the exact same hike this past sunday with a friend, but it was much harder to do it solo. when you're hiking alone, you don't have someone to distract you from how steep the hills actually are. i purposefully didn't bring my ipod because i didn't want to be distracted. i intended to stay indoors all day today, but the weather was just too amazing to pass up.  and honestly, when am i going to have days like this? having the freedom to work through my thoughts on rigorous hikes in beautiful weather? not often.

on my 1hr40min hike, i was brought back to memories of paris. God was my sole/soul friend out there in a foreign country, but it's not so different in my "normal" life here and now. i was reminded today, like i was reminded then, that i am actually not alone. five years later, i'm at a different point in my life, and i'm exactly where i'm supposed to be, anxiety/fear/hope and all. thankful for the following thoughts that crossed my mind earlier today on my hike that would not have been in my mind 6 months ago:

- i am so lucky to live in los angeles.

- nature is beautiful in all of its intricacies.

- when in doubt/anxiety, just start. i will be thankful that i did in the end. and trust.

- trust is hard.

- my mind & heart are prone to wander, Lord i feel it.

- don't sweat the small stuff.

- be kind to yourself. self-care is so important.

i also realized that i like saying hi to every hiker that i pass. maybe i've reverted back to being more of an introvert in the past half of the year, but the extrovert from college is still there. all pieces of my identity that i'm continuing to figure out. 

i go to portland this weekend. i start a new endeavor on tuesday. 

am i finally starting to get excited about 2012? :)

i'm learning how to let go of the expectations that society and i put on myself and on my career. my career ain't my identity; being His child is.