A slow steady rain falls on the tin roof of the cabin. The yard has a wet sheen reflecting the daylight. Each tree holds perfect drops of rain on their leaves. And the squirrels, well, they continue the busy work of harvesting walnuts in preparation for the winter. The wet does not seem to bother nor slow them down. One of our dogs will venture onto the porch with me, but the other, she looks out the door at the wet and seems to say “no way.” She turns patiently around to stay dry in the cabin. With coffee in hand and dog on lap I reflect. And coffee is so good on the porch in the mornings.

The view from the porch overlooks the small town we call home just for today. Like the weather which is prone to change on a moments notice, so seems our destiny. Feelings fluctuate up and down and yet a sense of calm anchors our life. It is what it is!

We chose to uproot ourselves from the known, predictable, constant style of life that was comfortable. Comfortable in the sense of meaning that which is familiar. We really had no plan, well, concrete plan that is for moving. We had thought and talked about it. We had informal financial planning sessions. But what was slowly consuming us was the burning inside, a longing, a desire, an irrational force pulling at our very being. Finally our questions became “Why not now and if not now , when?” Which led to let’s go for it now. And so, here we are today with a total sense of not being anchored, so far from the place I called home for so long.

I remember moving South Florida. My first year was spent in Key West. I loved the sun, ocean, heat, romantic, tropical lure of the city. It was a lazy and at the same time, passionately intense city. Everything ran on “Cuban time” and everyone was okay with that. The Cuban timeframe is based on being a little late but being there. Late may be fifteen minutes or ninety. There was no apology for being late, there was none needed. That’s just the way it worked. The passion of the city and its people could erupt at any time or place, like a summer squall that would blow out of the clear blue ocean sky, rain intensely, and then pass over the island leaving a freshly washed glow to the city. It was a great place but I found myself, like Jimmy Buffet sang, “…Wasting away in Margaritaville.” After a year, I moved to Miami.

It was however a huge difference from where I was raised. My home town in Kentucky was about a twentieth the size of Miami. In my home town most people talked and looked like me. There was not a lot of diversity. This is neither a condemnation nor a judgment of the place, people or lifestyle. It was just way, way different from where I grew up. My new home was so large. It was so fast paced compared to my small city. The majority of the people did not look like me. Many spoke a different language which in many ways made me feel like I was in a different country. I did however adapted to the city, environment and the diverse culture, and I ended up surviving very well. I made many friends with whom I am very close.I grew to love Miami, the culture and the diversity. I learned so much about life and myself while living here.

But this morning, I sit on the porch, watching the rain and reflecting on my here and now. We have met some great people in a short amount of time. The area is large in geography and small on the number of people. Almost everyone, at least in this town, seems to know everyone else. The pace of life is slow here also, not in the Cuban time sense where things drifted to shore at the oceans grace but a more ‘round to it’ sense. Again, no apologies and none needed.

People here talk with you. A simple good morning could turn into a ten minute conversation. Looking around in a shop can yield the history of a certain section of the county or how things have change over the years. Peoples beliefs come through as they talk, not in a you should think or believe this manner, but just as how they are. At the same time, they are paying attention to what you say and how you act. This does not seem to be in a judgmental way but in one of understanding you. We are happy to be here.

Raindrops are falling
Clean and cool the morning dawns
Alive its rebirth.