In my stomach. For the upcoming adventure of travel. Stephen King captured this feeling well when he penned Red's thoughts as he anticipated seeing Andy Dufresne again. (Click on quote to watch the closing scene on YouTube.)
I find I'm so excited, I can barely concentrate on my preparations. I think it the excitement only a professor can feel who has been teaching for 27 semesters in the same classrooms. I hope I can make it to world-famous pizza and gelato. I hope I can keep up with my students and not get plantar fasciitis. I hope the art, vineyards, espresso prove to be as vibrant and inspiring as they have been in my dreams. I hope. (That's io spero in Italian. Don't forget to trill the 'r.')
Thank you, Ladies of Newnan
A new year, particularly one that ushers in a new decade, drips with hope, for me at least. (Even when grand adventures are not eminent.) They also find me grateful for the blessings packaged in the year newly past.
A special thank you to Helen, Janice, Sandra, Sheryl, Joyce, Judy, Lynn, Claudia, Ro and Gayle from Newnan who so graciously invited me into their book club conversation in November. Thank you for reading Leaving Independence, ladies, and thank you for recommending When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin. It was beautifully written. I cried big tears.
Readers, friends, loved ones...I thank God for every remembrance of you. May He bring you blessings and grand adventures this year and all that follow.
Leanne ___________________________________ If you liked this blog post you might be interested in my books Leaving Independence and A Contradiction to His Pride, or my short story On a Dark and Snowy Night, great paired with a bleak day and a warm blanket, and now available as a free PDF download on my website.