View from Mt. Bailey,
Outside Eugene, Oregon

Today I realized it's been almost a year since my last post.  In those months, I've had a serious illness, lost my mom, and left my job.  It's a lot to absorb, and it seems like there have not been very many Pure Moments during the process.

But I know there have been.  There have been moments when I felt well, and connected to my friends and family, moments when music or the sound of wind in trees transported me out of my head and into the present.

As I write this, I remember that early this morning, about 3am, I woke to the sound of rain on the metal roof outside my bedroom.  After many months of hot, dry weather here in Oregon's Willamette Valley, this is important.  On hearing the sound, I feel excitement and relief.  I dress and walk down the stairs, outside, to let the rain fall on my face.  

For weeks, the air here has been thick with smoke from wildfires burning all over the state.  Ash has fallen from the sky constantly, coating everything with tiny white specks.  Now the air is washed clean.  As I look up into the rain, I feel washed clean too.  

I climb the stairs, climb back into bed and drift off to the sound of rain, with raindrops still on my face.