Two weeks ago today I climbed a distance. It wasn’t the 14’er I once tackled and bagged. Yet, these 315 stone steps at a nearby trail always leave me with a feeling of elation. A week later, on another trail, a friend (celebrating her 60th birthday with a 10 mile run) shortened her distance just to take time to chat with me.

We spoke of distances; ones that reflect our country’s varied philosophies and beliefs in addition to the physical distances we each experience with family. Distant memories were a topic as well as distance learning (she’s teaching in a whole new way).

“Social distancing”, “Keep your distance”, “Go the distance”, “At a distance”, “From a distance”, …our lives seem to revolve around distances. Had someone shared 10 years ago that my two sons would be in the Air Force, with so much distance between us, I wouldn’t have believed it. But happily, they made wonderful choices for their lives. And doesn’t “distance make the heart grow fonder?”

In two days I’m going to fly the distance. For the first time since her birth I’m excited to finally meet my granddaughter. To top it off, I’m going to see my other daughter-in-law and grandson on the same trip. Just thinking of the love in Washington and Idaho (and of course, mountains!) provides the distance my mind needed.

Thursday I’ll don my mask and smile behind it as I board the plane. I’ll keep my distance as not to inherit any sickness. While I’m distancing I’ll enjoy every moment with family. During the distancing I’ll distance my thoughts from negativity and give myself space to just be-to live in the moment.

The distance of my home, bumper to bumper (R.V. ;-), is 35 feet. Operating in small space is something to which I’ve adapted; and quite well. Give me too much space and I might get overwhelmed. That is when speaking of homes; not with the space between loved ones. Or the things I love like mountains, rivers, lakes, and trails. Traveling alone in 2018 I covered much distance (8,400 miles in two different months). The distance didn’t faze me.

In the not-so-far-off distance I’ll continue my plans to create more distances. I’ll call it my “distant learning”. As a lifelong learner I have to keep growing. Fear cannot shorten my distance. One does not have to drive miles to follow their dream. It might be as simple as changing your routine, trying something new, mapping a dream, or just blocking that which suffocates your space. But in this one life you have to live my friend what will you do to “go the distance“?

There’s a love that knows no distance. The love of my Heavenly Father is ever-reaching. It’s reaches each 6 ft. and beyond space and floods all voids between. All you have to do is accept it. I’ll never feel any distance from my ultimate authority; the all wise and knowing; the waymaker and miracle worker.

flannelwithfaith

Have faith 💚