Wind.

The wind is awesome tonight.

It's gotten warmer in the past couple of days.
I really like it.
I love love love when seasons are changing...mostly because of the wind.
Kurt and I were just up and chatting on facebook when he suggested a quick walk.
Of course I said okay.
If you had any doubt, go back to my most recent post and read #14 on the list.
If I could have a #26 on that list though, I would add that cool, seasonal, and strong, before-a-storm wind is one of my favorite things in the entire world.
It calms me more than almost any nap or song ever could.
I don't know if it's the smell of the air or the coolness of it in my lungs...
Or maybe it's the feel of such a strong force against me and yet I don't fall...
but when it's windy like this, I find my mind reeling and thinking about things,
like the future
(near and distant),
things that should, could, and would normally stress me out...
but I'm at peace,
almost relishing in the thoughts of all the possibilities
and options,
and directions
that my life could go in.
I think about Japan.
(Ha, of course...was that a surprise? I think not.)
I think about Hope College.
(Again...shocking.)
I think about what my life may
or may not
be in 5 years...or 10 years.
And it feels good.
It really does.

But then, sometimes, my mind isn't anywhere.
It's still.
In the moment.
And all I do is focus on the wind.

An invisible force.
If we ever say that we can see the wind, what we really see is merely the effect that this awesome, invisible force has on other things.
Leaves spiraling and dancing around the sidewalk in a miniature whirlwind.
Trees happily swaying back and forth to an inaudible beat.
Clouds drawing new pictures all over a clean, blue canvas.
Friends bundling up, continuously wiping hair out of their faces and wind-blown tears from the corners of their eyes.

It's easy to pay attention to the effects.
So easy.
And that's okay.
But sometimes I like to remember and appreciate what the wind is.
It's huge,
unseen,
easily forgotten and overlooked.
It's comforting,
but can be dangerous.
It's unexpected,
but always moves on...
And,
no matter what,
it never fails to leave its mark.

Some may say that the wind is like how God is to them.
Some may say that they, themselves, are like the wind.
And some...
some may say that the wind needs no metaphor or simile.

I'll let you decide.