Ten.One Thousand, Eight Hundred & Nine

1. I awake with fright. Is it the right time?

2. Need to go. Said I’d be there by 5:00am.

3. It’s still dark but it looks foggy. More foggy than usual. I hope it burns off.

4. The birds are so loud this morning. All the cacophony is still awe-inspiring.

5. Man.

6. I check in at the gatehouse, shake his hand, put a face to the name that sends me so many emails. He tells me about himself and his goals, gives me his keys because I forgot mine. I will remember this.

7. Still foggy.

8. A little embarrassed.

9. Tired, but moving through. Behind schedule, but not by much.

10. At least I am here with friends and working with kind people in a beautiful place.

11. Always gratitude.

12. A few laughs along the way make a big difference.

13. Their patience.

14. Added bonus: meeting more of my teammates that I never see.

15. What could I have done differently?

16. I tell him I just try to be genuinely kind and genuinely grateful and that seems to be working.

17. Done.

18. By the time I get back to my car, her car is gone and that makes me sad.

19. Flowers.

20. So tired.