Dagma took this photo of me, as we were completing the 2021 tomato harvest. She had just poured me a glass of wine as I had written that statement on my iPhone as a reminder to myself—that I've been preparing to meet her (again, anew) in this moment—all of my life.

I looked at what I had written and pointed my phone at her to deliver my message. She read it, smiled and took this photo.

Haven't we all, in whatever place we've found ourselves, looked forward to the future, consciously or not, to the place of meeting another person for the first time...by being fully awake in the moment—and therefore preparing ourselves for what, or who, will show up in the future.

We design our future life, those occurrences and relationships by way of our thought, intention and action in the present moment.

When I was building castles in the sand with my children on the beach at Carmel-by-the-Sea, I was preparing myself to meet you now. When I hitchhiked to NYC at eighteen I was preparing myself for you. When I got run over by a power boat while swimming across Lake Tahoe—that moment of rescuing myself—prepared me for how I would show up for you now.

Every one of you, whom I may have met before, or not, are, in a way—with me now. I'm grateful for this 'handshake' of hello today. "I've been looking forward to meeting you all of my life."

I intend to completely participate in this day...doing whatever. To give the day all I've got, sincerely, in hopes of meeting Dagma, and possibly you, for the first time again, tomorrow.

I'm wishing for you this day, this life, filled with conscious awareness, love and gratitude.