On June 15th, I arrived home after going more than a year without touching its soil. Being back, I had days that felt like I was living in an eccentric novel and days where my routine felt ordinary and unremarkable. The realization that monotonous days were more frequent than they had been in the past year seemed daunting at first, but as I moved through them and welcomed their presence, they became purposeful. They were there because I decided to stay (longer than planned). They were there because of the people I met and got to see more than a one-off brief encounter; immediate transience becoming less of a factor in my friendships. I’ve been learning not to look too far ahead. To let days surprise me and trust that everything will be okay.

I’ve seen that life is still wonderful even when I don’t pressure it to be…

These images are to remind me of the feeling my body had after hiking Morse Mountain and sinking into a foggy ocean.

Finding peace and wonder about what was right in front of me, both seen and unseen.