The last three days were well lived. I spent the entire night on Friday catching up with a compadre whom I love exponentially. We had a candlelit dinner at Beretta on Valencia [Street], then proceeded to drive to the opposite end of the city for some dessert. Stories were shared, tears were shed, and laughter was had. The night was honest, raw, emotional . . . indelible. (I highly recommend Beretta's Crab Dungeness Arancini antipasto and Margherita Burrata pizza topped with anchovies.)
Saturday was spent hiking Mount Tamalpais with someone new. I cannot explain the joy of reveling in the handsomeness of looming tall redwoods . . . such moments are not to be taken for granted. On our drive down the mountain en route back to the city, I welcomed the quick wind running her hands through my hair; I reflected. I let my thoughts trail the cliffs like spilled ink on paper. We returned to the Marina and had a late lunch at Dragon Well.
Woke up this Sunday morning and knew it was time I headed back to church. I made my way over to Cornerstone in the Mission. As always, it was a blessing to hear Pastor Terry speak. His commitment and conviction to live a selfless life, to serve God and others completely, come from a genuine heart; there is not one ounce of pretense in his speech or in his actions. And to be honest, it has been a while since I stepped into the Lord's house. I won't list any excuses for why I have been away. Simply put though, life is hard enough as it is without me attempting to duke it out on my own. I want the arms that carried me in the past be the arms that carry me now. It is true: His strength and love know no bounds.
Since it was too beautiful of a day not to make the most of it, I visited the Marketplace at the Ferry Building after service. It was the perfect amount of hustle and bustle. Dropped by Sur La Table where I picked up a few La Parfait jars; I figured they would come in handy for upcoming picnicking excursions (envisioning vanilla yogurt parfaits with fresh fruit and pumpkin flax granola). I also stopped by Acme Bread where I picked up a couple of baked goods: a cinnamon currant (because I am a true cinnamon junkie--I have cinnamon-scented pine cones in my car after all) and a sweet loaf. Retreated to a bench across from the waters and wrote a bit.
I had me a grand ol' time this weekend.
