Weekend excursions

The adventure begins, originally uploaded by daniel_lee.

My Grandma Margaret frequently used the word excursion to describe a variety of outings. As a child, the word would often make me laugh and question why she chose to be so extravagantly weird with her vocabulary. It wasn't until later in life that her flair for authentic articulation and accuracy really hit home. She chose to speak as she did, not out of arrogance or loftiness, but from a genuine desire to mean what she said.

Though the Ford companies carefully advertised, hideously sized vehicle has almost ruined the word excursion in my mind, there remains some strong flicker of Grandma in that phrase. Having just completed a brief excursion of my own this weekend (an overnight on the Maryland section of Appalachian Trail) the word came back to me again. This time, as I happened to glance at the Wiki definition, a particular portion specifically appealed to my focus: "often an adjunct to a longer journey."

My thoughts are with Margaret today as I remember life's longer journey and the excursions upon which we all embark. I hope this past weekends hike was a preview of explorations to come - an acknowledgement of excursions planned and unplanned - and the inherent worth in diverging.

Refraction and reflection

My thanks to Mary Hess for the framing of this article by David P. Gushee entitled "How to Create Cynics." Though Gushee says what many cynics (me included) have thought for some time, his movement from individual self-determination to authentic community discernment is refreshing and well-spoken.

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On a somewhat separate note, this weekend is the second in a row in which I won't be off witnessing / participating in a wedding. Though I'm happy to be staying in the state for a while, the last few weeks have been both amazingly heart-warming and surprising gut-wrenching. Three weddings in three states - the experiences from each could fill hundreds of pages and postings. And while I won't bore with the details, I will say that being a part of three such immense, intense, beautiful, symbol-driven social gatherings is overwhelming in the least.

All three were times to gather with good friends, reflect upon memories created and memories to come, and contemplate a future of geographic separation, increased technological connectivity and the vast unknown of variability, chance, opportunity and failure. We're talkin' serious dissertation material here.

Simply put, I'm awestruck with thankfulness for these people who have decided I'm worth keeping around.

The Ladies of Tallahassee














Gentlemen carousing as per usual

















Michigan wedding with raindrop accents