Like ships passing...

On my drive to Portland this morning (which started at 5:45am) I had a lot of thoughts going through my head. The insomnia is still plaguing me... which is a completely new experience. Usually when I am feeling overwhelmed by life I like to sleep... a LOT. There was one winter where I was sleeping up to 20 hours a day. That was not a good time for me... come to find out that I suffer from winter depression. It was the worst in Portland. Since then I have lived in places that tend to have lots of sun during the cold months of the year. That makes a huge difference. But the point is I'm not used to not being able to sleep. I am a professional. I love sleep. The fact that it doesn't love me back right now is very disappointing. But I digress...

So, on my way to Portland I stopped in Biggs to get something to drink. As I was wandering around the gas station there I was looking around me and wondering what other stories were there in the gas station with me.

How about that guy with the packed 1982 Honda? What was his story? Is he moving for a job? Is he heading to a new destination or going back to an old, familiar place?

Or what about the guy on the motorcycle? Is he out just for a pleasure ride? Is this his way to escape the worries of the world for a while? Is he on a trip to some amazing destination or just enjoying the local scenery?

I guess I tend to forget that there are people on this earth who probably have a similar story to mine. They, too, are starting over at a time in their lives when things should have been settled and in a familiar routine. I never imagined that I would be 37 (oh yeah... my birthday was on Friday) and starting over. This is not a place I expected to find myself... and I have really been feeling lost. But I'm not the only one. Especially in these times and with this economy. People are facing things that they never expected to have to deal with. As Farmer loves to remind me... the universe does not revolve around me. We are all in this together.

And there are people out there who are dealing with things much worse than what my life has served up. Which is why I would like to let my Aunt, my Uncle and my Cousin and her Husband know that I am thinking about them every day... my prayers are with you.