Conclusion

So, what have I taken away from all of this? This is the question. What else is quantifying all of these things really about, if not taking something from the journey, as well?

One, I feel I have much to be thankful for, and much to look forward to. Every time I do one of these things, though this is the first public one, I can see clearly how far I have come (or not) from the last one. This time, I might as well be living on Mars, compared to where I was before. I could not have written this turn of fate; I could not have predicted or even planned so perfectly for it. It is clear that even in times where I feel I have been alone, I have been carried, and this is something to hold in one's hands and not let go of. In fact, it might even be a better idea to swallow it whole, and let it stay in one's stomach for safekeeping. 

Two, much of what I have been doing has been weaving together well, and what I once considered a tendency to over-think is actually coming to places now where I am getting answers and being able to share them. This is a wonderful development, indeed. I see more clearly now why I have started to feel so much more inner peace and grounding, as pieces come together and gaps in my knowledge and practice have started to fill, so that really it is just a bit more polishing in some areas that remain, but no situation is dire or desperate for care or acknowledgement where it is in my hands to provide. 

Three (obviously not in priority, but as it has come to mind), I am getting a clearer picture of what it means to walk with God and feel like Christ's yoke is light. My life is not empty of challenges but they are almost all about how I interact with God and others, and not how I'm going to survive. When we are thus aligned, it is glory, not exhaustion or trauma, that is on the other side of pain. There is a difference between pain and suffering, defined by the absence or presence of helplessness and despair, which a full trust in God makes the real difference. I am not perfect in this regard, but I can see the correlation despite my limitations, and I will keep trying to get to that golden horizon. 

Four... Thanks for reading. Even though I'd love to hear a voice other than my own someday, I like to think that maybe if you're still here, that means that something about our voices would not be so entirely different. It is impressive what people can have in common when exploring commonly-unspoken worlds. The idea that something may have been useful, entertaining, or warming is a comfort and encouragement to me, with any entry. A vision stirs of a more ideal exchange over tea and warm hearth, where I hear a reply in a voice I know my soul is listening for every day. Perhaps someday, when I have learned some lesson or the moon is just right, I don't know. The seasons are not up to me. Until then, pocket-person, let's both keep walking, there is still so much to do, and to see. The path is not entirely clear, but the travel gear is all present, and the only direction is ahead.