Day 20: Starting Again

  I'm back! The past 9 days I've been off schedule, working extra hours and traveling.  I've visited Mary Todd Lincoln's childhood home, drank gin at a liquor distillery, and met a server named Sharon who brought me insight into what it means to connect with others.  More on that later.

  For now, I'm getting used to writing regularly again.  It's only been a short time since I stepped away, but I feel like I'm fumbling and disconnected.

  There is a neighborhood stray, a grumpy black and white cat, who we affectionately call Bing Bong.  He never comes up to our door but regularly visits our neighbor.  For the past year she has fed Bing Bong daily, patiently building a relationship with him and letting him know she can be trusted.  Slowly we've watched Bing Bong creep ever closer to our neighbor's door. Whenever we approach, he runs away, but he waits for our neighbor to appear. He's most likely only interested in food but he feels safe with her.

  This morning, Bing Bong sat at the edge of the open door and peered inside our neighbor's home.  This is as close to entering her home as he's gotten. He's walked over hurdles of mistrust and possibly fear, and stood at the threshhold of entering the home of someone he's come to rely on.  I hope he went inside.

  So, just like Bing Bong, I'm working to overcome my own roadblocks and hang ups so that I can get to the other side.

  I'm beginning, again.


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