small steps in the Republic of Georgia

Sunday we went to church. 

Monday I spent the whole day in the apartment.

I blamed it on jet lag.

The truth is, that while that was part of it, another part was I just didn't want to walk up and down four flights of stairs and the tiny elevator wasn't appealing either.

Today is Tuesday. 

I started thinking about something daring not long after I woke up.

What if...

I decided to do something I've never done before.

What if...

I went outside for a short walk.

Without Deborah to accompany me.

What if...

I got turned around.

But what if I didn't.

Today the adventurous part of me won out.

Deborah gave me the code to the door of her building.

She asked which way I walking.

When she should come looking for me.

(Role reversal?) 

I think she was more nervous than I was.

I traveled down the road in front of their apartment.

It is part cobblestones, part asphalt.

I looked at the architecture, so different from Grayson.

I saw a beggar woman, sitting scrunched in the corner of a stoop, face almost burrowed into the front of her black coat, right hand held out, palm up. My heart ached and I wished I had coins to give that would be of use to her.

I was surrounded by languages I don't know.

I heard the weee-ohhh-weee-ohhh of an emergency vehicle.

I felt the sun's warmth clear down to my marrow.

I felt accomplished, especially when I made it back to the apartment building and up the four flights of stairs to Deborah's door.

Going solo was good for me today.