A love letter

Dear Florida Keys:

I love you. I love you so much I barely remember what life was like before we met. Every morning when I wake up, I see the water, the sand, and the sky. I am grateful. You embrace me with fresh air, crystal clear turquoise water, incredible varieties of life to observe & learn from. You fill my heart with joy. You provide me with endless opportunities for discovery, not just of what's here, but what's inside myself as well.

Do you remember when I first moved here? I was homesick. I felt lonely. I missed what I "lost" and did not embrace what I "found." I was separated from my family & friends, plus all that I was accustomed to. I experienced hardships & devastating illness within my family; so many perceived obstacles. Yet, during those times full of such hardship, you let me be without an agenda or a schedule. You provided me with a community of amazing people who came to help when it was desperately needed. You gently embraced me each time I returned from caregiving. You chipped away at every new challenge, and finally even devastating grief when horrible loss arrived. You lifted me with new friends, a new support system, and such incredible beauty through nature. You never asked for anything in return, you gave your gifts freely. You simply were always "there," just "being" as the layers of the onion were peeled.

As I released my old ways of thinking, the more I learned about you, the more I needed you. How can you be so perfect in every way? How do you know to have the right plants for this insect or that bird, the right tree for that crab, or the right temperature for that fish? How do you know when to send a butterfly to me when needed? How can you get the sky so blue in the day, yet so inky at night? And, what of the stars that shine so bright? The milky way that I see so often? The beautiful moon over the water? Do you too listen to the calling birds as I take my solitary runs in the heat of the day? Do you find the lush evening smells, sometimes floral, sometimes musky, as heavenly as I do when I pedal through the darkness? As humanity tries to take and take, you continue to give and give.

What would I do without you, my beloved Florida Keys? You are me, and I am you. There's no way we are separate, even when we're apart. My heart is now yours. I hope you will grow stronger because I am here. I was sent here for you. I am here to help you, not hurt you. I will always love, protect and honor all that is you.

Thank you Florida Keys, thank you for your beauty, your generosity, your gentle encouragement, and your forgiveness towards my species. I'm forever yours.