The Port

Now that I have a port, vessels come and go unburdening their loads for me to sort and do with what I may.
Sitting in the lobby of the Doctor office we waited for our appointment. Tap tap tap, "excuse me". Erica thought that something was on her shoulder, but Svein was introducing himself as he waited for his next cat scan. "Don't drink my juice" he chided. "Oh, I won't take your stuff", "I didn't notice you there". What a wonderful, humorous way to introduce yourself. What a great attitude! We all wanted to get to know this man and what he was up to. He went on to say he was from Denmark but now living in Phinney Ridge. A loner, he delivered fish on his bicycle in Denmark back home for a year, making a simple living and meeting folk along the way. We took his number, vowed to see him again, and went to our appointment.
I talked with my tennant the other day and his son was MIA from school. He is a single father trying hard to start a new life on Mercer Island, newly moved here from Idaho, a gutsy move to try to better his own life and start over. I had assured him that there was no better place than Mercer Island to raise his boys that he had just received custody of. That was 2 years ago, and now things were not going as planned. How will the community respond? Who does he connect with who will be the eyes in back of his head, helping him keep track of his son? Does he think that society has let him down? He is trying to start his own construction business, just developing his skills of the trade, and balance raising his boys and enjoying life.
Erica and I went downtown to an appointment with the Immigrations attorney who had been referred us (thank you Catherine Meyer and Sharon Pollack, and Dave Shiffrin-for getting us to this point). Who you know is so important in life. You only need ask for help, and God will show you the way. Dream big, and pray for the results. The mantra is working. We must now apply for a tourist visa in order for Dan to get over here stat. Any other venue would delay his arrival. I phone Dan to let him know that his status is now tourist, start drilling that into his head, the rest will play out later. We have had issue in the past with wrong message being accidentally jokingly communicated to governmental agencies. Since 911 you have to watch out who gets into this country and no joke is tollerated at customs. What is unfolding here? We learned that Erica had to file her income tax from her work in Australia, so we went across the street to the Federal building to get forms to update her status and ready to sponsor Dan. She has to make more than poverty level in order to sponsor Dan. We pray for a deal, we get an opportunity to present an offer the very next day. God again answers our prayers.
At the Federal Building, I see a girl who appears mental disabled, our eyes connect, and I ask "Do you live on Mercer Island?" "NO, I can't talk to strangers" she replys, a scared look on her face. I back off and continue on down the hall toward the IRS office. She turns and yells down the hall, "I can't talk to strangers, my Mother told me not to talk to strangers, I can't talk to strangers". A cry to be understood, an obvious concern for her mother to protect her daughter in this cold world. Mother, if you are out there, I am not a stranger, let me talk to your daughter-she is beautiful and scared.
I went to the Bellevue Club for Masters workout at 6am the other morning. The 12 step program to rehab step 1 is "Just show up". I made a commitment to do that and the new sleeping pill has allowed me enough rest to just show up-I drag out a yoga mat for step 2 and 3 "start slow and alter the workout". A smile on my face, a new empowerment, a wonderful support group.
Sean, who grew up training for swimming at Bellevue Club, has attracted a lot of attention with his swimming acheivements. He is on his way back to Seattle after graduating from USC just days before my surgery. Perhaps the universe is beconning him back to his own folds for a job where he was raised. Years ago as he was training for Olympic Trials I was running (often that is where my best thinking comes into play-another balancing act in the game of life) when I wrote this mantra for Sean. It sings true for me, and now I find more meaning that ever in the words I wrote for Sean to succeed:
IN LIFE AS IN SWIMMING

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE HILLS YOU MUST CLIMB
AND THE ATTITUDE IT TAKES TO SURMOUNT THEM.
BUILD YOUR TEAM WITH LOVE
FOR THAT IS WHERE YOU DRAW YOUR STRENGTH,
AND YOU CAN ACHEIVE WHAT OTHERS ONLY DREAM...