This has been a difficult last few days. As a humanity we are all struggling to understand the events that unfolded on Friday. There are many important conversations that need to be had . These conversations are ones that we ought to have had long before; however here we are again. It is hard to find beauty in moments like these and that is why I felt it even more important to go on my Sunday hike and to search throughout my day for the beautiful. There are many stories of kindness and love I have heard the last few days as well. I encourage us all to remember all those stories and the small beauties of the world that make life so worth living. If you have any such stories, thoughts, quotes, or pictures that have helped you, I encourage you to submit them. As a community we can rebuild some hope, faith, and in general goodness.

 "We are collectively better than the sum of our parts. One person can destroy the work of thousands, but the fact that thousands will continue to build, no matter what, is what keeps me breathing at times like this."

Some of the most beautiful physical things I saw this week came from my own neighborhood....and yet I am sure many people might be surprised by this. I live in the 'hood. There is no way around it. People hear 'Dorchester' and more often or not there is a tiny scrunch of their nose that tells it all. I love my neighborhood though. I love its diversity. I love the movement. And I hate how quickly people are to dismiss it and other such neighborhoods. When we do that we dismiss the people that make up these communities as well. This picture to me so represents what I see when I think of my neighborhood- beauty growing even amidst hardship.

 My walk to the train often leaves me in awe. There are many little things to notice. Often I stop and snap photos all the while knowing that doing so will more than likely cost me catching the train. As the spring flowers take their last breaths before their Winter slumber, there are some truly gorgeous demonstrations of aging beauty. If only we all aged so gracefully.  

 There were few photos on today's hike as there was snow all around. The trails were nearly empty due to the cold and the snow and that made for a sometimes haunted feel. I took a new trail today and it was literally a hike...uphill and rocky. At one point I was very much considering turning around. I was that interesting combination of feeling hot yet absolutely freezing. Thankfully I forged on because at the top of the trail was an observation deck that led me to this view. As I looked around me I was conscious of each and every icy breath as it pushed through my warm lungs. Sometimes when I think of just the miracle of breathing that alone is the greatest blessing in the world....

As I said, the trail often seemed haunted.....

 “I don't suppose you have to believe in ghosts to know that we are all haunted, all of us, by things we can see and feel and guess at, and many more things that we can't.” 

“It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”

                                                  -Anne Frank