Exploration, Rest & Relaxation

Over the past few days I have had the wonderful privilege of making memories and capturing joyous moments with some of my dearest friends and loved ones. Below, you will find some of those moments frozen in time and displayed unlimitedly for all to share in our enjoyment.

Due to the fact that school is over for the year, Dara (my girlfriend) was albe to come back to Asheville, NC with me for a few days before returning to her home town. While she has been here, there has been innumerable occasions for laughter, sadness, anxiety, and love. We have explored, gone out to eat together,  shopped downtown, visited the Biltmore Estate, gone shooting at a range, and had dinner with the extensions of my family. All in all, the time that we have shared together over the past few days has been refreshing and exhilarating. God has so blessed me with a girlfriend, family, and friends who love me tenderly and compassionately. I feel overwhelmed by the happiness and comfort that I gain when I spend time in their presence.

The first photos you will see are from a Goodwill photo shoot that Dara and I fashioned one afternoon before heading home. (Just so you know, it was supposed to be an ugly photo shoot- so it is intentional that our outfits look hideous) The photos following that will be from our adventures at the Biltmore House.

I hope that you enjoy them as much as we did.

Thanks for reading! I do very much appreciate your loyalty and dedication to listening intently to my heart and mind as ascribed on this blog.

Spanx

At the Request of my Dearest Dara...

I am writing…

As many of you know, I am in a serious relationship with Dara Robertson, AKA the Love of my Life. Due to the fact that my blog has not been updated in quite some time, she has been slightly to severely disappointed that she can no longer read new material from my ever so interesting mind.  Upon hearing of her sadness, I too was troubled and saddened as any good boyfriend would be. It is my goal to change that.

So Dara, this one goes out to you.  I love you with all of my heart!

Mornings are always better when they aren’t so scheduled. Today, my roommate Dylan woke up earlier than usual. He could not sleep for some reason. His early rising led to my early rising. Deciding not to go get breakfast because of the accompanied requirement of getting dressed, we concluded that playing a game together would be best. I had an hour and a half to kill anyways.

After the game, I got dressed, looked super fly as usual, and walked out the door. As much as I wanted to go to the cafeteria for breakfast, the leftover cookie from Starbucks last night seemed just as appetizing. As a result, my cookie was then devoured, thus leaving me with still 30 minutes before class. Ahah! Chick-fil-A is open this time of the morning. I might as well go get a biscuit of goodness while I can before I get to eat lunch at 11 or 12 today. SO that is exactly what I did. Now I’m sitting in the computer lab, munching on a chicken biscuit and writing for my beloved.

She has juries today, meaning that she has to sing pretty much perfectly in front of a panel of judges that judge her every note and line. Pretty stressful huh? I feel for her and am praying for her continuously. She is completely capable of rocking their socks way off and then slapping them in the face with them. I know she will do well because she’s just that amazing and her voice is like that of a goddess. I just wish I could be there to see her shine! 

Today should be pretty relaxed for the most part. The sad thing is that I still have classes to go to even though we will not be learning jack squat in them –_–  so stupid… oh well! After that I get to hang with my best guy friend, and after that I get to hang with my best girlfriend! Super excited!!!! Hopefully her juries go well so that she will be in a fantastic mood and I can get and receive some real good lovin’. PG13 lovin at the most 

Well, that’s about all the time I have for now. Hope this brightens your day sweetheart! I love you!!!!

Meet William

Today, as I was walking around Downtown Asheville, I had the opportunity to make a bench buddy. While taking a load off, I was able to talk to this gentleman and find out a little bit more about him…

William is an 80-something year old man. He recently left his home state of California to make his way to the mountains of Western North Carolina. He hitch-hiked all the way here. Everything that he has was given to him. In fact, I gave him the furry jean jacket he is wearing. All he had with him was a backpack, bought by a couple from Walmart, and a sleeping bag, handed down to him from some guy in a pickup truck. The little speck of food stuck in his beard? Yeah, some lady just brought him a sandwich and 5 grapes. What is more interesting is what was given to him that you can’t see. Under all those layers of clothing, William has a pacemaker sticking out of his chest. William has Congestive Heart Failure  and struggles with arryhthmia. He has 4 stents in his chest.

Ah!! That’s why he’s here! He is here to see the doctors at Asheville Cardiology Associates to get his pacemaker checked. Right? ACA is the one of the best in the business and it’s no more than a few miles down the road! NO. William is not here for that. He can’t afford to have any more work done. In fact, the doctors he has seen have all told him that he doesn’t have much longer to live. William is dying.

“I left California a few weeks ago. I didn’t wanna die there… so here I am. Brother, I can’t even get into the shelter down the way. They won’t take me cause they’re afraid I’ll conk out on ‘em. I’ve got my sleepin’ bag though, so I reckon I’ll just sleep out here tonight; but hey, I won’t get cold now with this here jacket! Man, I sure do appreciate it brother.”

Born in East Tennessee, he spent a good many days in Cumberland around the Tennessee River.  We got to talking about where I come from and where I’m at now. I found out that we knew a lot of the same roads in Tennessee, so I told him about the small college that I go to around where he grew up. He asked me what I was studying, and I told him I was studying Intercultural Studies so that I can do missions work around the world.

That opened the door for me to ask him if he had any faith and if he believed in Jesus Christ.

“Well, I used to go to church a long time ago… but I don’t go no more. That was some time ago. You know what, I heard about one of the deacons in the church had gone and molested some little girl. I said, ‘if that’s the way they’re gonna act, I don’t want no part of none of that!’ So I said I’d never go back to that church, and I never have been back in church since then.”

I then proceeded to explain to him that, as you know, nobody (in or out of the church) is perfect- that we’re all sinners. I told him that I’m a Christian and I’m not perfect. He agreed that nobody was. I told him that sure, it was wrong for that guy to do what he did, but that being a Christian doesn’t mean you’re never going to screw up again. I assured him that even if he was in church, he would still fail to meet God’s expectations; but God, if we confess our sins, is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God can even  forgive that man back in that church he went to so long ago.

I asked him if he was opposed to going to church again. He returned to this thought:

“Well, I ain’t got much time left to live. I’m not sure it would do anythin’ for me. But, nah… I ain’t got a problem goin I guess. Just haven’t done it.”

As a Christian, what would you do next?

I don’t know about you, but all I know is he’ll be in church with me this Sunday.

I miss you buddy.

This wonderful man allowed the world to love and appreciate the simple things. I have looked up to and learned from him in many ways, as he has been a silent inspiration in my personal life. This simple poem was written by Jimmy Stewart in loving memory of a long time companion.

This is something similar I wrote.
(For my dog, Wrigley)

Your breath was quick and constant;
Your heart could count the time.

You never said you loved me,
Yet you were always mine.

You’d lie up high, there in my lap;
Or down below, beside you sat.

We ran together, played together, rolled together, stayed together.

You were my friend, my love, my companion-

You were my therapist, my doctor, my guardian, my silence, my kleenex, my mentor, my guide, my trainer, my partner in crime, my wingman, my way in, my way out, my way out and about, my comforter, my blanket, my home away from home.

You were my friend, my love, my companion.

Your eyes were strong and sure.
Your heart was warm and pure.

Your legs took us everywhere,
And loved a good detour.

I’d scratch your back and give you some pats,
And you’d never leave me when we took our naps.

I miss your nose. I miss your ears.
I miss your startling, and all your fears.

I miss your wandering without cause.
I miss your fur and all four paws.

But most of all… I miss your voice.
Silent or loud, you spoke to me.

No mutts or hounds, whether bought or found,
Could ever match your love profound.

But now you’re buried in the ground
And when I call, you’re not around.

I can look and search and call all day,
But I know you haven’t run away.

I wish beside me you’d come and lay,
Or come and find me, sit and stay.

You’re not here anymore, but that’s okay.
I’ll always miss and love you anyway.

You were my friend, my love, my companion.

I Miss You.

The Mocking Ore

Streaking stripes arrest my gaze.
They lie stagnant; motionless; silent.
Bleached blocks fill their chasms with void space.
Tall walls of brick build boundaries to contain the great nothing.
Triplet tunnels table-torn mine relief from The Mocking Ore.

“Fill me. Fight me!
Leave me or line me.
Stain me. Sign me!
Flee me or find thee!”

-this is the tone that rings from the mouth of The Mocking Ore.