I hear others say things like ‘why me?’ and I’m somewhat surprised that I have yet to have that feeling. Perhaps it is a bit of denial, but also I wonder if it is related to my outlook on life. I’m not a theist (I don’t believe in a god). I see the world as some form of random chance. I do believe some things happen for a reason. I believe that my past has prepared me for the challenges the lie ahead.

I remember lying in bed chatting with my husband about the possibility of cancer – before it was diagnosed – and saying ‘it is what it is’ – we will deal with it. There has yet to be the ‘why me’ feeling. Perhaps by not believing in a god, I don’t have anyone to ask the question to?

Now I’m not an anti-spiritual person. I’m an Unitarian Universalist. I find peace in nature, so today we spent some time communing with nature. We went for a walk in the Redwoods up at Big Basin Redwoods State park. We walked for 9km – according to my Runkeeper app, that’s a record for me. Big Basin Redwoods is perhaps one of my favourite places. The trees are literally 1000s of years old. There is a peace when you are walking and touching these ancient trees – some with battle scares from fires long past. They are survivors.

We stopped for about half an hour to sit an a bridge over a dribbling creek. We noticed these water bugs that created the most fascinating shadows on the bottom – like moving black dots. Scott has some theory about their feet acting as magnifying glasses, causing there to be no lighting center and a glow outside. You can see it in the center of the picture below. It is amazing what you see when you slow down for a few minutes and just be. Quite fascinating.

Today was a good day.