Some really beautiful things have happened to me this summer. I got to spend over seven weeks living on my island home, but that’s not all. Karl and I came together and spent three weeks hanging the curtains I made over the winter, exploring, snorkeling, and making a giant Jenga game and a lawn Scrabble game to play. Then he went home to attend to business. I had a day alone then was blessed by a visit from a really important person. She entered my life as a ninth grader – she was in my English class. As she’s grown, so has our friendship. Now Amanda is so dear to me. I treasured the time she and I spent here together. The day Amanda left, Michelle, Jonny and Caedmon arrived. You’ve heard of them before if you’ve read my blog. The fourth member of their family, Jeremy, went to heaven the end of May. Cancer sucks but God remains good and merciful. We had such fun, beginning with the kids jumping off Frederiksted Pier, going to see the mocko jumbies, and snorkeling. When they left, I had four quiet days alone then Sam, Allison and Madison arrived. Karl came home for the last half of their stay to join the party and go snorkeling at Buck Island. We’ve spent time with island friends, done some work around the house, and now have two days left before we fly home. Sigh.
The beautiful part of the summer has been in sharing smiles with people I truly love and care about, having terrific and thought provoking discussions with people I respect and admire, and taking time to relax and be thankful. It’s been such fun to share my island with people who’ve never been here, and to get to know it better myself. The quiet moments I’ve been with Karl are precious when a lot of time our life is all running and noise. Nothing especially earth shattering has happened this summer. I spent nearly each morning writing – my head happily in 1907 while Karl reads or just enjoys the view. I’ve laughed at the antics of the anoles (little gecko-like lizards). Jonny caught one and tamed him enough that the little guy hugged Jonny’s finger and fell asleep – head down and snoring. Well, I think he could have been snoring. I’ve rejoiced (and ok, I’ll admit to dancing out in it, but just for a little while) when it rained yesterday and last night (who knew there could be a drought in a rain forest!) And I’ve been loved, by our visitors, by our island friends, and by our sweet church who literally welcomed us with open arms and happy hugs.
Tonight we are meeting friends for dinner, last night our neighbors came up to share a burger and a nice chat. We sat on the gallery, enjoying the cool evening and the clear sky. Off to our west, Puerto Rico’s mountains, at about 1,300 feet high, were clearly visible as were two other small islands nearby – Culebra and Vieques. Beauty is all around. Let’s pray we don’t ever get so busy that we miss seeing it.
I used a telephoto lense to pull this in. You can see the outlines of Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra.
This was more to the south.
