Perfect

Today it is 80 degrees and sunny with wispy clouds overhead. The birds are chirping and the day feels endless. I woke up this morning at the insane hour of 5:30 am on my vacation so that I could go to an appointment at 7:00. I was thinking I was insane for allowing myself to do this on my week off. What I usually overlook in my planning is the possibility of peaceful time by myself. I was able to take some time and head over to Wildflower Bread Company and have some oatmeal and read peacefully. What struck me while I was getting breakfast was how perfect the day really was. It brought back memories of my childhood when I would pack up a picnic from Mom and head out to the hay field and stomp down a circle of grass to lay in and watch the puffy clouds pass by and let the hours of summer slide by. Summer where I grew up is a lot like spring here in the desert. I am thinking that I want to go for a hike this week and picnic while looking out over the valley. I think it is extremely important to take time to yourself and just be. Whether it is to read a book, take pictures, hike, run, whatever. Just being is crucial to happiness.
Tomorrow morning I am going with a dear friend of mine to run in an area that has a spectacular view of the valley after a heavy run uphill. No matter how hard the run is up to that point, I can never wait for that view. It makes the struggling and work worth every step. I find my peace in nature. God visits me there and lets me know I am in the right place.
After my dream stint in New York City and my travels all over the world, I dream of owning a country home in the foothills of the mountains in Montana surrounded by grass fields and a long winding driveway from an unpaved country road. Either that or a beach house on the cliffs of the Oregon coast so I can watch the storms roll in as I sip my hot cocoa and sit on a sun porch each morning.
Overall, I think days like today bring peace. They bring tranquility and show me what perfection looks like.