A New Sled For A Deserving Friend

It has been very cold (surprise) and windy! As a result, many people have had to make daily runs to gather firewood for their homes. And, this is no easy job! 

One such person is our friend, Travis. After work he often heads out to gather, cut, and hand carry his wood back home for his family. Yes, hand carry his logs. Most people use these special plastic sleds to pull their logs and gather several cords at once, but until yesterday he wasn't able to purchase one. 

Being that he is a very special person in our lives,  Ian and I decided to collect funds and hire someone to make him his very own sled. As it turned out several people from our clinic felt the same way and were able to pitch in to help us with this purchase. 


And, my boss's fiancé, a veteran wood collector, was also able to make him a replica of the one that he uses.  We ordered the plastic from a distributor in Anchorage and our gift ready in less than 3 days. The entire clinic huddled outside during lunch and surprised with him with a new sled. 

He was so happy, surprised, and grateful that it made the moment even more tender.  

This last weekend I had the great idea of skiing to the post office. It is only about 1.5 miles away and I thought the exercise would be good.  So we bundled up and headed out to what we would later find was truly the great beyond. 

As I said earlier, it has been very windy here.  

Even though he looks like he might be ready to hold up a bank, Ian is indeed still happy with his day job. He has had the wonderful opportunity to use the knowledge that he has been given to help others.

 In addition to doing more inter-village traveling, leading anger management classes, hosting elders gatherings, and seeing a steady flow of regular clients,  he has also started training to become a certified chemical dependency counselor.  Counseling seems so natural to him, and I am really proud of all that he is doing at work and in the community. 

It feels good to see the community further welcome us and at times even notice our absence. I believe that Ian has had a big part in this, quite possibly because of his basketball skills.......

It has taken some time, though, to really feel like this is home,  but I think we are both beginning to feel a new closeness with the people.  

I think we have both learning to transition away from holding unto expectations and are moving to a position of openness, where our worth, value, and happiness is not tied to any particular outcome. 

Especially out here in rural Alaska, we are learning that we have little control over anything in our lives other than our attitude and interpretation of events. This has not only been very freeing, but also very wonderful to know that we can continue to love no matter what happens.

For us, we know that a wisdom beyond ourselves is operating and working things out for the greater benefit.  This is both humbling and exciting to know that in remaining in love I have the potential to play a main role in carrying out a divine plan.  

In the words of Albert Camus, " In the depth of winter, I have finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."

May you come to know the awesomeness that walks beside you at all times on this path that you have chosen so that you may never fear again. 

Blessings 

-Sarah