37th St, Austin | Growing Pains

These words from Rilke are especially poignant to me lately. Learning to be thankful for where I am.

"It seems to me that almost all our sadness are moments of tension, which we feel as paralysis because we no longer hear our astonished emotions living. Because we are alone with the unfamiliar presence that has entered us; because everything we trust and are used to is for a moment taken away from us; because we stand in the midst of a transition where we cannot remain standing."
1/5

"Don't observe yourself too closely. Don't be too quick to draw conclusions from what happens to you; simply let it happen."
2/5

"If only it were possible for us to see farther than our knowledge reaches, and even a little beyond the outwork of our presentiment, perhaps we would bear out sadnesses with greater trust than we have in our joys."
3/5

"Don't think that the person who is trying to comfort you now lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes give you pleasure. His life has much trouble and sadness, and remains far behind yours. If it were otherwise, he would never be able to find those words."
4/5

"And you should not let yourself be confused in your solitude by the fact that there is something in you that wants to move out of it. We know little, but that we must trust in what is difficult is a certainty that will never abandon us; it is good to be solitary, for solitude is difficult; that something is difficult must be one more reason for us to do it."
5/5
"Letters to a Young Poet"
Rainer Maria Rilke

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
Romans 5:1-5

Give thanks:
Tulip stamps, long walks, new libraries, unexpected conversations, artichokes, cool weather, cordial driver-to-driver interactions, mom and dad visits, hugs from littles, Christian fellowship, perspective, the right song at just the right time (extra points if on the radio), helpless smiles, pure joy for another, a candle scent/a candle blown out, memories, cleaning with energy, warmth, a cold nose, more books than can be read, childhood, hammocks, realizing when apathetic and getting a kick in the pants, the urge to write a poem/to write a book, seeing a kiddo have success, wind in the face, a river trail, a lone soul popping a wheelie on 1st St bridge, seeing Christ in others, missing people so much it hurts, knowing there will be a next time, knowing that God is good.