The Next Right Thing.

 So.....I have been taking a COVID mental break and realized I had not written in quite some time. The last time I wrote I had finished my 30 mile Wildwood trek and it took a minute to recover....and then Covid went on, and on, and on. And then all the political division. And then we were all just trying to get by, to get through, to wear our masks, to do our best.

2021 came and with it the promise of new leadership and VACCINES. One of the brightest spots in a long time are the vaccines. I have worked at several vaccine clinics because I like being part of the light, the promise, the hope. People who come feel hopeful. I soak it in.

There have been losses. Oh so many losses. But there is some light. Some hope. And....some love. One of the biggest surprises for me has been love. 

I met Dan when we were just learning more about Covid last spring. It was April. I met him online - which is a entirely other post because I still can't believe that I was even online and I have thoughts about that. Even so, there I was and we had enough of ...something....to meet in person. But I was VERY clear with Dan. I am an oncology nurse. Covid is real and I take it seriously. If you actually want to meet me in person we will be masked and maintain social distancing. Dan wasn't phased. He was in. He was still in when I told him before we were to meet that if he wasn't really interested or was going to stand me up, not to waste my time. He was undeterred, even intrigued perhaps that I was someone who wasn't afraid to speak my mind.

So we met. We had a lovely walk across the Tilikum bridge. It is more fun for him to tell the story and if you get to meet him some day, maybe you will hear it. Apparently I made some sort of impression. So we walked again. And again. And again. We did a lot of walking Dan and I. Eventually he made his way into my bubble but it took some time. There is a lot more to this story but to highlight - we have weathered Covid together. He has seen me tired, discouraged and disheartened. He has seen me hopeful. He and Jenny were my primary support system during my 30 mile Wildwood trek. He has shown up for a tired, at times disgruntled, oncology nursing again and again and again.

In some ways we are very similar. We both have a crazy love for books, red wine and coffee. In some ways we are very different. He will talk to anyone, is always enthusiastic, is a hopeless romatic and is ahead of me by about 20 tattoos. But, in the midst of COVID, we started a love story. An unlikely, quirky, lovely love story.

He had not been snow shoeing as an adult. I almost did him in taking him up a very steep hill on his first snowshoe this winter. Yet, he was good natured and went with me again. As a matter of fact, he has been up for every crazy adventure I have suggested. And today, as we stopped to take in Mt Hood while snowshoeing around Trillium Lake, he asked me to marry him. And I said yes. 

So, the story continues. My kids were in on the plan and are excited for us and the next chapter. They are part of it. So is Chewy. He's ecstatic. It was perfect - adventure, sunshine, outdoors, hope.

As I reflect on today I think of Mary Oliver's famous words  "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Well, I plan to marry Dan.