I sit curled up in a lovely little flat in the south of Spain near the coast taking time for long walks, lazy mornings and sidewalk cafes. Taking time to breathe deeply and have even deeper conversations with some precious friends on this journey. The world spins on quite happily without me in other places as I take time out to exhale.

Time to eat fresh Spanish olives from the market and drink espresso brewed on the stove top, watch good movies and wander through the streets and squares of history that surround me, even as I ponder my own.

I pause, words echoing in my mind from last night's movie: Downward is the only way forward.  I am drawn to the hidden paths, the unknown ways, the wild places out of which reformers are birthed from the heart of God. There is a longing too profound for words stirring inside of me.  And I am struck by the irony of how often the best things in life must be crushed to be enjoyed.

Again, I am reminded: the most important journeys always start deep inside of us. In this new year, may you embrace the beauty only found in crushed places and on secret, silent paths.

From this unpaved road-Michele