RL4B: Relentlessly Looking For Beauty

Then the King will reply to them, "I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me."     - Matthew 25:40 He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God.     - Micah 6:8 These are two of my favorite verses from Scripture because they remind me that social justice matters. This is the crux of what I "get" from my faith: an identity as one of God's children who is called to love and serve one another. The beauty of these passages is that you don't have to be a believer to find value in the words. When we extend dignity and kindness to "the least of these" in our community, it makes the human race stronger and more connected. When we seek to act with justice and equality, open ourselves to loving boldly, and walk with humility, we can create peace and joy in our families...

Five years ago, I retired on disability from teaching. It was a difficult decision but ultimately the right one. As an educator, I had accumulated a closet full of professional clothes over about ten years. I initially kept them all just in case I would need to wear nice slacks and a blouse someday. Leaving my career was a major change, and I wasn't ready to completely shed that identity. However, one day I finally realized that I wasn't ever going to wear these clothes again, and that was okay. I knew I wanted to donate them, but as with most "someday" projects, I put it off, thinking, I don't have time today . Then a few weeks ago I saw a flyer for an executive clothing drive. It was sponsored by the local university's Career Services and Sigma Nu chapter in partnership with Bozeman Business and Professional Women. If I had been waiting for a sign, this was it. I arranged a Saturday afternoon time with my mom to help me clear out the closet. Sh...

Sleep is often something we take for granted... until we can't sleep, and then we wonder how others make it look so easy. Up until four years ago, I was an easy sleeper.   I fell asleep right away and for the most part, stayed asleep all night. I had heard of insomnia and other sleep disorders, but I couldn't imagine the challenges and could conjure little sympathy for those who faced them. Then I began needing nine or ten hours of sleep and sometimes an afternoon nap to get through my days. I still thought I was sleeping okay, but my doctor recognized a potential underlying issue. So, I tried oxygen at night for a while, and when that didn't help, I was scheduled for a sleep study. After a long night of testing,  I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. To treat this disorder, patients either use a CPAP or a BiPAP machine to sleep. This means wearing a mask (with tubing attached) over your nose and mouth. It's not comfortable, flattering, or convenient, but it'...

Last fall, I received as a birthday gift from my sister, three cotton shirts. Each one had a different sentiment printed in a whimsical font.  Love the Journey.  Happy Camper.  Travel, Live, Explore. I grinned broadly as I held them up for a picture, and I looked forward to warmer weather so I could wear the short-sleeved tops. I was deeply touched that my sister knew me so well. She understood that not only would I love what the words said, I would act on them. Yesterday was a hot, sunny day and Shawn and I decided to go for a ride in the mountains. One of our favorite things to do when riding is to find trails we haven’t been on before. We call it “making tracks” as we add new lines on our GPS maps. I intentionally wore the shirt that declares Travel, Live, Explore because I wanted to embrace the spirit of those words. It would be a good reminder of how I wanted to frame the experience. -- We were going to Travel by going beyond our daily locations...

Twenty-two years ago, on Shawn's twenty-second birthday, he proposed to me. I was eighteen.  We had been dating only a few weeks, but both of us knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. Eight months into our engagement, I had a stroke, and once in the hospital, I was diagnosed with a heart condition. At one point it looked so grim as to prompt my doctor to advise a transplant and predict I had less than ten years left to live. I was told I could never sustain a pregnancy. Everyone looked to Shawn for his response. He solidified his commitment to me by standing tall and absorbing the news as if he were already my husband. He held my hand and reassured me that he would be there forever. We were married five months later.  Despite our young age and quick engagement, I was confident our marriage would last because it was built on a choice. I recently read a book called All About Love  by bell hooks. She uses a definition for love that moves beyon...

I have a rare form of muscular dystrophy. It's a progressive disease that slowly affects my heart, lungs, and overall muscle strength. It also causes varying degrees of soreness and pain, depending on my activity level and positioning. Several years ago, I met a woman who experiences severe pain on a daily basis. Her multiple health issues combine to make a vicious cycle of agony which she manages with a complex cocktail of drugs and therapy. And I thought to myself, who am I to complain about my pain?  I expressed this idea in a small group of caring friends, and they challenged me with this loving statement: Her extreme pain does not make your pain any less real. Pain is not for comparing. Their insightful wisdom was uplifting and gave me the freedom to acknowledge and accept my own suffering. Last week, I visited with a friend about her emotional pain. She confided that she felt guilty for her distress in light of my struggles. I recalled the vision my group had give...

Yesterday, I woke up on a mountain top.   Almost two years ago, we bought two century-old mining claims in the Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest. The road accessing our property is rough, limiting travel to only four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicles. We've been there many times with our side-by-side UTV, but only for brief scenic views or short lunch stops. Last weekend was our first time staying the night. Shawn and I typically go camping in a self-contained trailer with all the luxuries of home, but the only shelter we can feasibly bring into our land is a large canvas tent. It had been years since we'd been tenting, so we had to remember how to judiciously pack just the basics. We pared down in every area including food, clothes, and entertainment.  We only planned to be away for about twenty-four hours. Since I have physical limitations, Shawn did all the work of loading and unloading the truck, putting up the tent, and setting up camp. A storm was blowi...