Grace and Dry Range.

One of the miracles of last year is that this dude came back into my life.

Actually it's a miracle either of us still prevails over a dirt nap.

Tom traveled to Philly, PA late last fall to watch me present at the American Public Health Association National Convention.  Seeing him at the APHA was an affirmation that for whatever reason, we are not alone and that belief can overcome self destruction.

Tom was the first person that I ever fell hard for. We'd lived a somewhat volatile two years as partners but we had only seen each other once in the previous twenty years. He standing on the other side of a Leather Bar counter and I feeling like a dork for requesting a Diet Coke.

BecauseTom was my first partner and I was really inexperienced at Love, and we'd spent a couple roller coaster years trying to tame youth, urban outfitting, and much of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, the rekindling of a friendship seemed impossible. But in the course of those twenty years, nearly everyone we'd jointly known had passed away.

So yeah, you might recognize Tom. He tended bar at Seattle's infamous Cuff. He remained in Seattle until about 6 years ago but has dealt with rain sickness by traveling the world extensively. I, on the other hand, could only stomach Seattle during academic what-was-I-thinking periods. Not long after my relationship with Tom ended, I spent the rest of the next two decades pursuing 49 state mobility, head injuries, living on the road, and when I wasn't, pursuing the joys of excessive mobile home archetexture addictions.

It's been good to have Tom back in my life.

We are both lucky. 

The scars we bear aren't fatal, and in revisiting old tales, we are both very conscience that too many of the people we once knew, are no longer part of the pre dirt nap clan. Tom's contacting me proved to be a true answer to prayer. I know things haven't always been a cake walk for him.

As an affirmation of that grace, we've made a couple road trips together since last fall. Although after the last one, I've gotten in trouble with my BF. I'm currently on restriction for taking any more tours of back roads, old history, and explorations of belief.

 Tom's moved on from the Northwest and is now an ICU nurse in the Southwest, which means I don't have to explain all the complications of a head injury to him.  Not so much the case with the BF.

Grace rules, as does prayer, and I don't think Tom would disagree with either statement.

He's single. And I keep telling him I know just the perfect person to introduce him to.

Which means you should pray for him. Endlessly.