Day 249

yesterday. via today.

a steady flow of people wearing the likes of gortex shoes and columbia pants and puffy jackets and beanies passed the window and walked across the intersection. i watch from a front seat in the tea house. cars stop continuously at the white lines and it seems that every third or fourth driver is recognizing and beeping and waving to a pedestrian. its uncanny.

pastor shawn and i are meeting here. he comes in the door and rests his leather courier bag on the table and we start talking about life and this transition and trip. i have questions about faith and, after a random conversation around the house the night before, i asked for more information about pharaoh and judas because we'd been wondering about the balance of free will and the hardening of hearts after shaun had been watching the passion of the christ. an hour or so later, i was blown away by an opportunity discussed to work for the church in the future and i'm really excited.

to think that, in may and before, i had no idea that fernie existed or that its people and scenery and community would suddenly be revealed as all this. through certain encounters, both random and somewhat planned, i've felt a new skin these past few days. something entirely different and yet not surprising has manifested in these bones as a sort of long anticipated growth and redemption.


i'd planned on beginning a photography project today. yesterday i noticed an impressive number of senior citizens wandering past the window in their slow shuffles. some wore classic knit sweaters or paper boy hats and i was about to head out after lunch with a couple lenses and the camera to try to do some portraits. ask some stories. save some faces. they have style. but before heading out i started some phone calls to friends and family back home. suddenly the afternoon was gone. well spent.

and finally. the best job in the world.