Almost a year ago, when lockdown was still a novel concept and the dust was just starting to settle, a podcast interview with Rick Steves came my way.
Interesting... I thought. This guy is travel, pretty much. Like, Steves-Europe is probably his real last name. If anyone’s sense of identity is totally upended by now, it’s his.
Instead his interview mostly talked about the simple joys he was finding in the view out his window, wine, and painting. It sounded so emotionally mature and healthy and I realized his gift wasn’t so much all the travel tips he’s known for, but his ability to appreciate. It works in Edmonds, Washington like it works in Europe.
🏔⛰🏕
Among other things, the past year has helped me appreciate so many things in a whole new way while taking less for granted:
The power that affirming words have to bring out the best in people.
Movies and stories that raise the bar for representation.
Healthy boundaries.
The social lives of moss.
People who understand that clarity is kind. Southeast Asian folklore and mythical creatures. Hummingbirds. Explainer videos. Garages. Older folks who know it’s never too late to re-examine a belief or idea. Foreign films. Climate writing. Ecodiscipleship. People who get the difference between peacemaking and peacekeeping. People who stand up for other people. Ancestry. Financial literacy that cares about ethics. The Eastern Sierras. Octavia Butler. Tattoo art. Grief. Seaweed. Starting each morning with music.
What’s something you’ve learned to appreciate more over the past year?