#22: Everyone Needs a Gail

Dearest Reader,

Oprah Winfrey famously talks about her best friend, Gail, and I am fortunate enough to have my own Gail.  We became fast friends ten years ago, finding we both had an appetite for adventure. 

We have hiked portions of the Grand Canyon, Mt. Whitney, Half Dome, San Jacinto, and Mt. Baldy.  

We have drunk coffee and watched dolphins playing at Moonstone Beach, explored the cliff-dweller caves outside Flagstaff, discovered ten waterfalls at Silver Falls State Park, and wine tasted in the Willamette Valley.  We have sat around the pool in Palm Springs, done portions of the PCT, drank cappuccinos near Venice's canals, and gotten caught in a five-story unlit stairwell in the Cinque Terre.  We have also escaped on the only train out of Corniglia during a train strike, hiked the circumference of Orvieto, sipped Aperol Spritzes in Vernazza, and talked our way out of 50-euro fines on an Italian train. 

During this pandemic, we have spent a lot of time on the phone.  We share our dreams, good books, the latest research,  and spirituality.  Our calls feed my soul, and I feel so fortunate to have Gail in my life.

Having a friend like Gail is definitely part of a life well-lived.

Happy Birthday, Gail!

Love,
M.J.