After nearly 8 years of daily blogging (I cannot believe it, and for those counting, nearly 2,900 blog posts), I still practice the original mission of living with flair. I really do. I set this same heart to look for the beautiful thing especially in the ordinary or even difficult thing.
Like just now: All day, I complain of the cold, driving rain. It’s the kind of gloppy wet that falls sideways and sneaks its way into even your purse, even down your collar, even into your socks. Under the umbrella, I burrow down into myself to make it to the next building on campus. It’s freezing and unexpected in light of yesterday’s 70 degree weather. It’s messy and sad and the kind of weather that makes me long for my bed.
But then, I tumble into my classroom, embraced by the warm air. For once Penn State’s classroom temperature matches what’s needed. In here, it’s dry and light and cozy. Students arrive, equally annoyed by the weather, but now happy to have made it. It almost feels like a homecoming, it’s that warm and inviting compared to what’s outside. We shed wet coats and toss umbrellas under desks so that they look like obedient dogs at our feet.
It’s now different: there’s an out there and now an in here.
And I’m suddenly so thankful for the weather that chases us all inside together like this.