Rocks are how we build the foundation for a home. We need something firm and trustworthy to set our walls and floors on. Parents shouldn’t have to worry about their children’s beds falling through the floorboards as the foundation shifts. A man should not walk on tiptoe through his front door, fearing that one misstep will bring everything down. And a woman should not trace the outside walls each morning, checking for new cracks or fractures. Our homes need solid ground.

And it’s not really surprising that our lives need a strong foundation too. A life built on sand can feel like its in constant motion and unable to move forward. If you are unsure about the difficulty, walk a mile on a sidewalk and then one along the shoreline. You can move forward in either setting, but your strength and speed will vary.

I want to dedicate this little reflection to a friend who has been in my life for less than a year, but I have come to appreciate so much for her compassion and determination. Yevette started running with me in January, and by June was tackling her first 5K run with hopes of diving into a 10K later this summer. In the midst of that challenge, she worked tirelessly to raise funds for villages in Africa needing fresh water and leadership training. Now she is across the country from our weekly running routes to support her family. She is a rock for that family, and I am better for learning from her loving example.

#52sparks is my year-long writing series based on an art prompt challenge.  The title is inspired by a quote from Star Wars: The Last Jedi: “We are the spark, that will light the fire that’ll burn the First Order down” (Poe Dameron).  The spark that lights a fire to toast a marshmallow or to ravage a forest begins in the space of an inch.  So just imagine what hundreds of inches and words can do.