Dreams

Sometimes I catch myself watching the people and things around me like I'm in some kind of wonderful dream. I see the things around me like the opening scene of a movie where they show shot after shot of whatever beautiful and exotic place it was filmed at, where even the smallest task looks beautiful and intriguing. It catches me in the most unexpected moments: walking through a crowded market with colorful fabrics and foreign foods; seeing a child carry giant loads of water on top of her head, walking tenderly so not to get her gorgeous African dress muddy; watching mensit in circles discussing the Quran and making pot after pot of excessively sweet tea over an open fire; hearing hundreds of brightly dressed women, with babies strapped on their backs, chatting as they wait for hours on end to see a doctor; waking up to the beautiful call of a long-tailed, royal blue bird; catching the sharp aroma of dozens of flowering trees. Sometimes I catch myself observing these things as if I weren't a participant, as if I were some far away observer seeing how beautiful life is here. When I catch myself, I get a stupid, silly grin and can't help but can't help but think how incredibly fortunate I am to be able to experience this. As with everything that is good, or brings us joy, I so wish that I could
share it with everyone I know. Trying to diminish it to words or pictures is like trying to describe the ocean to someone who has never seen it. I'm trying my best to show how incredible it is here, but I'm afraid I'm failing miserably. You'll just have to come visit for yourself, and when you do, bring me along with you!