From the DR

So much has happened since the earthquake.  I am in the DR on my way to Haiti.  I arrived last night, but my luggage did not!  So, I'm hoping it arrives on the 1:15 flight this afternoon.  I will blog about Haiti and the earthquake another time.  My life has been so full of Haiti and the earthquake that it's like a closet that's totally unorganized and stuffed full of junk.  I need some time to sort things out and make some sense out of the last few weeks.

In the meantime, I'm reading a great book called Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann.  He puts words together in such beautiful and profound ways.  Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book so far:

...he was some bright hallelujah in the shitbox of what the world really was.

When you go around in circles, brother, the world is very big, but if you plow straight ahead it's small enough.  I wanted to fall along the spokes to the center of the circle, where there was no movement.

Pain's nothing.  Pain's what you give, not what you get.

...the space for God is one of the last great frontiers: men and women can do all sorts of things but the real mystery will always lie in a different beyond.

...words are good for saying what things are, but sometimes they don't function for what things aren't.

Maybe today will be a great day since I can spend my morning just reading and not feel guilty while I wait for my luggage to arrive.  I'm staying at a very nice, family owned bed and breakfast.  It's only been open for about a month and the owners are charming.  I'm the only guest, so getting lots of individual attention.  My room is clean and comfortable with everything I would want: cable t.v., internet connection, hot/cold running water, air conditioning....  And the coffee they served at breakfast was wonderful!  I must find some to buy and take home with me!