Such beauty all around

Following last night's festivities I must say that I have never felt more loved.
The mere mass of the crowd cramming themselves inside the walls of the Aalto Lounge might only be rivaled by the mass of clothing and books I spent half the day cramming into my suitcase.

This whole process of preparation is something I've always hated.
I just don't like feeling like I'm working at something that will take numerous different installations of time and energy to finish. That's most likely a large reason why I sometimes find my writing discipline to be so piecemeal. I just want to sit down and pump out a whole novel instead of letting myself get distracted and lose my train of thought.

Even so, the fast approaching departure date no such luxury.
I will not be dissuaded from my fastidious devotion to being absolutely and one-hundred percent ready.

The moments where I take the time away from folding, stacking, and zipping to do something other than obsess over which shoes I ought to take and which ought to go into some haphazard free box are growing less and less undefined. I have so many people to see one last time, so many restaurants to visit for that final bite of Portland gustation, so many sites to touch in memory of past experiences.

This evening I enjoyed the tremendous privilege of dining with my favorite professor of my entire college career: Jil Marie Freeman.
This woman holds the single most influential position in my academic life next to my mother...and I was homeschooled.
We enjoyed a lavish meal at Beaker & Flask (incidentally my new favorite Portland Restaurant) along with numerous stories, laughs, excellent points of discussion, and let's not forget the cocktails and wine.
It was a regular barn burner to be sure.

During one of our multiple smoke breaks (no, she didn't start my smoking habit, that was all me) I took a moment to soak up the glory of the moment. The chill of the wind, the pleasantness of the evening, the quality of the company, and the joy of being in the midst of all three simultaneously.
It was nearly impossible to fathom the perfection of all of them in combination.

Jil provided me with the affirmation and encouragement that only a person of profound intellect and genuine influence could. Her willingness to listen to my anecdotes, her clearly thoughtful response, her generosity (she insisted on picking up the tab), and her fantastic enthusiasm for the food and drinks: all were integral parts in what comprised the ideal evening of attentive and intentional blessing on my coming days and feats.

Such beauty all around.