Have you ever had a spiritual connection to the elements? Lightning, thunder, rain, wind…the sound, feel, smell. Ever listened and watched in amazement? It always brings such a feeling of peace…security…excitement. I had an experience like this once before tonight. I was on a balcony with three friends in Arizona. We watched as lightning drew pictures across the sky and the rain kissed our skin softly. The connection we felt to each other that night was intensified through the immaculate performance before us. Tonight I felt that same calming essence as I sat on the back porch watching heaven paint its’ masterpiece. There’s something so inspiring about it all.  It takes me back…to life before responsibility and before the fear really kicked in. Back to life where hope and dreams still existed and the past didn’t haunt and torment. A quote continues burning in mybrain, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”, (FDR) and suddenly it all comes together. Life is just life. There’s nothing fancy about it. All we get is what we put into it. The memories are as we create them. And the love we give and receive is always more than what we should come to expect. I watched the sky go from a dark emptiness to a blanket of white within just a few short minutes. I heard the rain lightly tapping the rooftop then transition to a shower and cease just as quickly. I watched the palm trees sway in the wind and bend under the wrath of the drops falling on them. The air purified and perfected itself. The water poured from the heavens as if to cleanse itself. And me, I was one with all of them. And me, I was complete with all of them. So simple, so lovely, so full of life. And then it ended…no, it began. Isn’t it glorious! Life is a series of events. Some weaken us but only for a moment. The strength we gain is everlasting and eternal. The love, joy and spirit we gain is what keeps us looking for more…craving more…and hope for that is what keeps us alive. Life is just life. Isn’t it beautiful?! So simple yet so complex. Always answering but leaving plenty of room for questions. Sometimes feeling like the end but always continuing on and creating new memories…new love…starting over.