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This Is Us
Good Morning
How an encounter with a deer brought me a moment of peace
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting—over and over announcing your place in the family of things.
— Mary Oliver
I love when it rains in L.A.
It washes away the smog, and the air smells fresh and clean again.
Everyone stays inside, so there’s a calm that settles over the city, like time has stopped for a moment and you can finally breathe.
I went on a hike just as the rain had dissipated. Bundling up in a hoodie, jacket, scarf, and hat, I bravely ventured outside into the less than 70 degree weather (can you imagine?!). As I approached my trail, I was greeted by a friendly squirrel, busy eating an acorn. “Hello,” I said.
As I headed up the hill, I passed a cheerful couple who said, “Good morning.” “Good morning,” I said back.
I passed an older man dressed in all black,
“Good morning!” he said. “Good morning.”
I passed a father and his son,
“Good morning,” the little boy said.