It is Good Friday and I think about the death of Christ, my own death to self...many times in my life to find a new life within...

It is springtime, April 2006. April always makes me feel joyful of new beginnings...Easter, blossoming trees and flowers, and renewal within myself.

All my life I have been on a journey...searching, ever searching for a new and better me, for peace and joy, for love and friendship, for my own paradise.

Someone recently gave me a little piece of artwork with a quote by Marcel Proust "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."  This spoke to me so profoundly.

I had been living in Georgia for over 15 years, the last 3 of them wanting desperately to get out, for various reasons.  I finally decided to move to Napa, CA...and did so early September 2005.  Napa is a beautiful place, and the people there are wonderful.  Yet, for some reason during the almost 5 months I lived there something in my gut did not feel right.  I went through a very tough time, personally, while there and yet came out better for having done so.  I learned more about myself, my family and friends.  And I made some new friends while there.

I decided that I needed to return to Georgia, where thank God, my house had not sold.  I moved back to my home in Alpharetta, where I am also near my friends here, my church and parish community…where I have lots of love and support.

I am still not sure this is where I need to be for the rest of my life, but I have the above quote in front of me daily.

Me and Bear (my sweet dog) are happy and content to be here right now.  I thank God for the blessings in my life, including those of lessons learned through not so easy times.  I am especially grateful for my friends here, in California and other areas of the United States and Ireland…and my companion Bear.

Bless you all this Easter, and each day of the year.