Halfway, Oregon
Volume 1
Volume 1
...I’ve come to a place where the sky is deep blue, the air is bone dry and smells like pine when I walk outside my front door. Folks wave or expect a wave each time you pass them on the road…especially when they’re driving their tractor pulling hay. I’ve come to a place where I don’t recall seeing a stoplight when driving through town and where the cattle out number the humans 7 to 1 in all areas of the county. I also just bought my first latte in town - a surprise find during my lunch hour errand to the 
fabric/quilting/gift store. As they took my money for the pillow forms, they brewed up a mean iced double tall Almond latte.
...I’ve come to a place where the lovely 83 year old woman, A.T, who I rent square footage from won’t give me a house key and has asked that we not lock the doors. ‘What’s the purpose?‘, she asked… and then proceeded to tell us of ‘that one pastor’ and his family who insisted on locking the house every day…!
Folks have started calling me by name.
Folks I’ve never met.
...I’ve come to a place where the town and its 350 residents are surrounded by breathtaking snow peaked mountains that are unbelievable each time I gaze at them. I have begun carrying my camera in my car because every time I go somewhere new I want to pull over and snap a few shots. Last night, as I ran down the 1.5 mile road to my house the sky was painted with pastel water colors - a wash of purple, pink and blue.
...I’ve come to a place where the songs on my iPod - from my old life - don’t quite fit in. As I jog along the pasture lined gravel roads - Old Blue Eyes, or my good friend Michael Buble, or even Michael W. Smith for that matter - seem a bit out of place. Or at least they make me feel like I’m in the beginning scenes of a movie or have lost my way … I have in my head Buble singing ‘summer wind’ as I trot past a black and white Jersey chewing her cud staring quizzically at me with her big black eyes. The cows stare at me, the horses whinny and I find myself turning off the music to hear the priceless sounds of the country side - the babbling creek and whispering trees.
...I’ve come to a place of solitude…for better or worse. This place is a hard one for me and it is even harder to admit that I’ve already shed a few alligator tears of loneliness and the summer has just begun. My social desires, my need for speed, my multitasking brain are all going to be forced into a summer of scheduled tranquility. I found myself driving over the speed limit yesterday after clinic and after I got the disgruntled look from a fellow rancher I thought, ‘what in the world am I hurrying back to’? I didn’t have a thing planned for the next 5 hours.
Finally…I’ve come to a place of humility. I have officially forgotten everything I ever learned. I have already proved that I know nothing of importance. And yes, I have already said “I don’t know” flat out…no fancy talk…I just said “I don’t know” at least 7 times today. And it’s day #1.
fabric/quilting/gift store. As they took my money for the pillow forms, they brewed up a mean iced double tall Almond latte....I’ve come to a place where the lovely 83 year old woman, A.T, who I rent square footage from won’t give me a house key and has asked that we not lock the doors. ‘What’s the purpose?‘, she asked… and then proceeded to tell us of ‘that one pastor’ and his family who insisted on locking the house every day…!
Folks have started calling me by name.
Folks I’ve never met.
...I’ve come to a place where the town and its 350 residents are surrounded by breathtaking snow peaked mountains that are unbelievable each time I gaze at them. I have begun carrying my camera in my car because every time I go somewhere new I want to pull over and snap a few shots. Last night, as I ran down the 1.5 mile road to my house the sky was painted with pastel water colors - a wash of purple, pink and blue.
...I’ve come to a place where the songs on my iPod - from my old life - don’t quite fit in. As I jog along the pasture lined gravel roads - Old Blue Eyes, or my good friend Michael Buble, or even Michael W. Smith for that matter - seem a bit out of place. Or at least they make me feel like I’m in the beginning scenes of a movie or have lost my way … I have in my head Buble singing ‘summer wind’ as I trot past a black and white Jersey chewing her cud staring quizzically at me with her big black eyes. The cows stare at me, the horses whinny and I find myself turning off the music to hear the priceless sounds of the country side - the babbling creek and whispering trees.
...I’ve come to a place of solitude…for better or worse. This place is a hard one for me and it is even harder to admit that I’ve already shed a few alligator tears of loneliness and the summer has just begun. My social desires, my need for speed, my multitasking brain are all going to be forced into a summer of scheduled tranquility. I found myself driving over the speed limit yesterday after clinic and after I got the disgruntled look from a fellow rancher I thought, ‘what in the world am I hurrying back to’? I didn’t have a thing planned for the next 5 hours.
Finally…I’ve come to a place of humility. I have officially forgotten everything I ever learned. I have already proved that I know nothing of importance. And yes, I have already said “I don’t know” flat out…no fancy talk…I just said “I don’t know” at least 7 times today. And it’s day #1.
And the worst part….I truly didn’t know.
3 comments:
Katie you inspire me. Your words are beautiful and honest. My crabby mood is lifted.
Sue
I don't know a single thing either, Katie! What did we do this past year?! ha!
My cousin's wedding is the weekend, but after all the craziness settles down here I hope to get back to blogging...
Katie,
every day on rotations you'll say "I don't know"... but it will RARELY be the same thing you don't know twice! Your on an amazing journey and your only half way through, be kind to yourself. PA school is an incredible self discovery tool, your right where your supposed to be today.
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