i fell in love.

I fell in love on Saturday.

Woke up at 5:30am. Chilly morning, pitch black, groggy. (Reminiscent of crew practices...) Drove and picked up my not-so-groggy friend Lauren by 6am. Headed out to Keeneland.

We wandered by, through, and in between the stables filled with stable hands, jockeys, and horses - which are truly magnificent creatures. We were the ambitious amateur photographers who hoped no one would make us leave. What was shocking was how friendly everyone was to us, saying hello, greeting us with a "good morning", and striking up conversation. Many even came over specifically so we could photograph their horse in those pre-dawn hours. (The jovial spirit at such an hour was not as reminiscent of crew practices...)

I fell in love with the early morning. I fell in love with the stables: the bustle, the quiet, the hushed conversations, and the steady plodding of the horses' hoofs. I fell in love with the horses. I fell in love with the friendly jockeys. I fell in love with the racetrack, the horses galloping by in their morning warm ups and work outs. I fell in love with photography and having a fellow photographer as a companion. I fell in love with the sunrise.

I've been called a true romantic. (I think this is - and was intended to be - a compliment.) I was caught up entirely in the romanticism of those 2 hours. I am dying to go back before racing season ends on the 29th. I am dying to ride again. I am dying to photograph some more. If I had not felt so exhausted physically and emotionally by Saturday night at midnight, I would have gone again on Sunday morning before church.

on another note or two:
I now have three Belarussian pen pals: Luba, Tanya, and Kate!

I also, on occasion, don't realize how much I miss someone until I talk to them or see them about a long absence. (Usually I'm always missing friends who are out of state or out of country...) But Saturday night I finally go to catch up with Robert and all I can say is I didn't realize how much I missed him until that night.

I am reminded now of something about nostalgia that Chesterton said in Orthodoxy... Of course I can't recall it now, but whatever it was, that is what I am feeling... romanticism and nostalgia.