After the chaos and greatness of Disneyland Paris, it feels like anything written after that is just boring. The pace since I've arrived in Greece- scaled back, relaxed, slow, and even lazy.
It. Is. Wonderful.
I arrived happily and exhausted from periodically crying all day leaving Paris in JOY for what I learned and how intimately close I felt to the Savior. I wrote emails trying depict it and explain such humbled awe, but often times just found myself with tears streaming down my face searching for words. I will happily take that kind of speechlessness any day.
I am now 7 hours ahead of those on the East Coast in the States, and I admit the time difference is driving me crazy. When I was in Thailand at least it was an even 12, and there was nothing strange about it. I was waking up, loved ones were going to bed. Coordinating video chats were easy, and generally the amount of time shared awake seemed much easier to manage. Seven hours? It's just hard. I go to bed around the time most are finishing their days at work, and I wake up and everyone is sleeping. The small window for communication is tough. My email is generally most euphoric in the morning when I wake up. It's in those hours I'm sleeping that friends are able to catch up to me by looking at Facebook Albums, reading the Blog, or having the time to write me the BEST emails (or even better, video messages).
Yesterday I did a tour of the South part of the Island, and loved it. I learned a lot about the history of this amazingly beautiful place, and I captured small moments and tokens of what I love here in pictures. I shared a table with a family from California while wine tasting, and was able to talk about my adventures thus far. It felt like a normal day in my life up until that point- I for some reason as I talked about what I've been doing was completely blown away by the story of the past weeks. I've done some amazing things. I've seen some amazing things. I've been changed in some amazing ways.
This morning I woke up at the perky hour of 5:30am, to take a walk down to the beach at the end of the street I'm staying. I am not typically a morning person, and I have delighted that in my itinerary I've not had to get up before 7am once. I made my way down to the beach, which is a rich black of volcanic sand highlighted with random white stones... it was quiet. The day for many was still a few hours away from beginning, and the sky was warming up as the sun began its daily arrival. I walked along the edge of the surf, surprised that it felt warm to my toes- and waited. I don't wait well. I don't slow down easily. I think if there is one thing that I had purposed for my time here in Santorini, it was that the process constantly going to museums, landmarks, and the city pace would slow down so I could breathe before I returned home on the 25th. I feared not being able to do this well, and I was anxious that I'd get emotionally antsy in the lack of "things". I have been blessed by a relaxed attitude, a mind that has wondered and drifted in thought while laying in the sun... I have slept peacefully with the most comfortable blanket ever that I am going to buy when I get home. The sunrise today made me pause, and it made me wait for what was coming... I couldn't rush it and I couldn't run towards it. I simply got to stand and ponder, think and pray, walk and wait.
It was beautiful, and I was grateful for many things as I watched it:
1) the motivation to wake up to watch it
2) the time to really be still before it and consider the magnitude of the Lord and His creation
3) the peaceful silence that was only broken by the sound of the waves crashing at my feet
4) how being relaxed allowed me to be open to my thoughts that ranged from significance, but mostly how I walked away understanding more then when I had arrived, simply because I had been silent and listened.
5) for friendships back home, and how I have been blessed by half a dozen that have walked with me through this entire adventure. Some have responded faithfully to prayer request emails. Some have been huge encouragers on the pictures. Some have met with me on iChat to talk "in person" to stay connected. Some have asked questions. Some have waited for me to speak. Some have painted plans for the rest of the summer. Some are waiting to find out what I'm going to do when I get back. Some are wondering how I'm going to be different. Some already know how. Some have challenged me with accountability. Some I find myself appreciating more in the distance. Some I felt were with me the entire time. Some fit every part of this list.
I am thankful. In the midst of the most awe inspiring sight I got to be still in silence and enjoy what seemed was planned just for me on a beach alone in the middle of the Sea.
A question remains... how does one pack this experience up and board a flight next Thursday?
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