oh, joy

I woke up this morning with my spirits feeling a bit...sloppy. I wanted to forgo volunteering, but I think when they said we were allowed to skip if we were feeling ill, they meant in the physical sense. I wanted to forgo class, too.

Well, I attended both.

But it began to rain en route to all of the above, which did amazing things for my soul. I don't know why the rain revives me, and today was the first day of autumn rains here in Berkeley. I got out of class at 3 o' clock and the afternoon stretched out in front of me questioningly. There really wasn't any question, though. It was raining and I hadn't run this morning (due to my fit of despondency), and what luck, really. I firmlyfirmly believe that of the (hopefully) many things I was created to do, running in the rain is one of them. There is something about it that brings me to the essence of my being and my Creator. And knowing this exact specificity with which you were created--you just know so deeply and wonderfully that you are Known and Seen by your Heavenly Father.

So I ran.

I had stomach pangs because I hadn't anticipated running and my sandwich was still churning in my stomach. My socks and shoes were soaked when I splashed through a puddle. And I was in no way as fast as I've been before. It was not the perfect run because it was without flaw. But joy takes flight when we shed the burden of circumstantial and situational aggravations. It was the perfect run because I felt the full force of the specificity of my creation and the love and commitment with which He shaped it.

So give me joy, because there is something otherworldly about it...it's divine.