A beginning

Studying human and animal behavior has always been a hobby of mine. I people watch, observe different species, and read about the meanings of all those subtle cues, contemplating their validity with a sometimes conflicting viewpoint.

Philosophy, why do we do the things we do? What drives people in one locale to behave in one way, when similar individuals behave totally differently in another region? Is it beliefs, geography, or a result of a certain energy that a place exudes?

Since our arrival in Albuquerque, NM, I have encountered nothing but absolute friendliness from locals. Unless you want to count the bizarre behavioral shift that occurs once they get behind the wheel of a vehicle, then all bets are off. I've been honked at for not moving fast enough at a light more times than I care to think of. What's especially funny is that, for the most part, the general population obeys the rather low speed limits. So what are they perceiving to be in a hurry for?

Before embarked on this leap of faith adventure, we were like those that dig for gold on land that really holds no riches. We kept digging and digging, getting deeper into the gaping hole that we thought held such promise, only to find ourselves bankrupted by the experience-emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially. Fear of missing that glimmer of what might be held in the earth, a salvation of sorts, we forced the issue and pressed on.

Then, along comes a ladder from somewhere above the hole. We decided to trust it to hold our weight so we could climb out of the dark pit we had made for ourselves. Almost from day one, we have met a succession of amazingly wonderful people who have given us one more rung to climb on and led us to the next one, too. Following the direction that this chain of people has led us is becoming increasingly inspirational. They bend over backwards to help us and offer genuine friendship and assistance. The energy in this place is extremely positive-perhaps it's the mountains that we live so close to, or the strong native American influence that permeates the city. This is a healing place and as we climb each rung, the darkness eases and sunshine from the top of the hole is warm and inviting.

Trusting in ourselves and our inner strength is daunting, but I'm slowly learning that I'm much stronger than I think I am and by not forcing the outcome of my actions, truly amazing things can happen.