sweet like candy to my soul

Today was one of those days.

I don't know how it could have been better.

Sweet like candy to my soul, sweet you rock and sweet you roll (DMB - Crash).

When I say why it was so wonderful and so meaningful and perfect, just merely stating what happened doesn't do this day justice - it was the joy, the peace, the wonder, the pleasant surprises that made it so indescribably delightful! I'm still riding the emotional high like a wave, and maybe this time the wave just might not crash me into the sand, face plant, water up the nose, knocking the breath out of me. Yeah. I'm not very graceful when I come back down. At the end of this day, the wave is carrying me to shore. No sand in the face. Bathing suit still in place. It's nice. :)

I wanted to leave at 7:45 but, of course, didn't make it out of the house til 8:10. Dad and I had chartered my course the night before so I knew exactly where I was going. I found some of my favorite songs on my ipod - Counting Crows "have you seen me lately," Blues Travelers "Run Around," Dave Matthews Band "Crash," John Cougar Mellancamp "Hurt so Good" & "Wild Nights." We discovered last night that parking was $12 a day. For 3 days a week x 12 weeks, that's several hundred dollars in parking that I wasn't planning on forking out. So I was down about that last night and thinking about it as I pulled up to the garage. The parentals warned me of the dangers of parking garages, so I grabbed my bag and didn't stall, but there were no threatening figures in sight - just men with briefcases that I followed to the elevator. The elevator bring you to the - I guess you can call it a courtyard. I found pictures of the courthouse online because I know I couldn't adequately describe the feeling. The fountains and the gorgeous structure all glistening in the sun -- so surreal -- craning your neck back to look up at the structure towering over you, something so much bigger than yourself -- so humbling. I wanted to frolic and twirl around in the grassy knoll and just lie back on a blanket looking at the building, but that's just me. I think I was more moved by the courthouse than when I saw the Nashville Parthenon. Walking in the door I felt completely confident, like my steps had purpose.

I went to orientation and met with the Mayor's press secretary. She started my day off with two bits of good news: I wouldn't have to pay for parking (nor would I have to park in a lot across the river and take a shuttle but she gave me a free pass to the expensive garage), and, we were going on a field trip the first day! I was so excited about the prospects of going off site with her throughout the course of my internship, and was able to accompany her the FIRST day. Whoa momma. See, she sent out a press release about the mayor reducing the number of metro vehicles (police cars, etc) by 10% and to reduce the number of officers who can take squad cars home in the evening -- one of his many budget cuts, this move will save metro 1.4 million a year. We went to where the cars are serviced and kept and FIVE news crews came out, reporters and camera men and a reporter from NPR. I watched her brief the representative of the transportation dept and orient the media and it was so exciting! Field trippin'. Tomorrow I may go with her and the Mayor to the opening of a new fire station. I'd love to be part of the convoy going along with the Mayor - his driver, his press secretary, his body guard, and his intern - me! HA! Wide eyed and bushy tailed. Just happy to be there.

After our field trip, the press secretary had a meeting and I finished my project early and what would you guess was on my desk? "How Arbitration Works" - a 400+ book
on arbitration, one of the services the mediator I'm also interning with offers. But how straight forward is the title and how suitable a subject matter for someone curious like me. I read 20 pages and put the book behind my desk. I'm going to ask tomorrow if I can take it home. It was very interesting, and I'm only in the history of arbitration.

Came home, the heat and humidity had lifted and I went for a run, my favorite course, the 6 mile Brentwood loop. There's this one spot when you reach the top of Franklin Road and it feels like you can see the whole city and it's all downhill for half a mile. I LOVE IT. I didn't run the whole 6 miles but walking the last 1 1/2 miles was very relaxing. And the endorphins have kicked in for sure.

One reason this day was very meaningful was I carried the image of God holding my hand with me. I think Beth Moore talked about this in her book. How, like a toddler, we try to walk by ourself and stand by ourself, but how much more sturdier are we when we take hold of our Father's hand, and how much He delights to help his beloved child. We don't have to struggle to stand but just hold on to Him and He'll do the work (so we don't have to...). I found myself whenever I needed a dose of strength today physically clamping my hand to feel myself tightening my grip to my Father's hand.

Sweet like candy to my soul
Sweet you rock and sweet you roll
Lost for you, I'm so lost for you
Oh, and you come crash into me

...and if I've gone overboard I'm begging you to forgive me in my haste