Vitamin D

As Pacific Northwesterners, we generally pride ourselves on our ability to withstand copious amounts of rain and cloudy skies, claiming that we like it better this way.  Today, it was sunny and clear and in the mid-50s, and as much as we like our rain, I think most of us were happier people.  Customers at work this morning were cheerier.  My mid-day nap was more pleasant with sunlight streaming in my window.  Meeting a dear friend downtown for window-shopping and dinner without even bringing a jacket was downright liberating.  Whether we can admit it or not, we all need vitamin D, or whatever it is we magically get from the sun.

If there is a name for the the thing we magically get from visiting with old friends from old places in our new places (and I think it might be "rootedness" or "grounding" or maybe even plain, old "delight"), I was also able to absorb some of that today.  I spent the afternoon and evening with my friend Ann, and it was so refreshing.  Ann is a dear friend from Spokane- one of those friends you process all sorts of things with and eat good desserts with and pick out new plates with and brainstorm artistic endeavors with- and I miss having her in my daily life like crazy.  Having her here in Portland this weekend was as natural as us going for an adventure in Spokane, and yet, she brought with her some of my Spokane roots that will give new life to my Portland roots in the coming weeks.  I'm constantly amazed at the gift of having two places I consider home, and what a joy it is to experience people from one place in the other.  That joy makes the pain on days when I feel split in two totally worthwhile, and I'm just thankful for people in both communities that are patient with me and continue to care for me whether I'm near or far.