Where?

A friend of mine had asked me weeks ago to house/dog sit and care for her elderly father as her and her partner were out of town for a few days.  I have been doing that for the last little bit with Charlotte and Indy in tow. 
Their stunning home is surrounded by walls of trees, a meandering creek in the front yard, and not-so-friendly, mountainous neighbors.  (They've had to build an angled bobwire fence to keep the mountain lions out).  It is an isolated, luxurious property, very different from my everyday.  The convenience and beauty of the forest in your front yard is a luxury I am embracing for sure!  
  Being here has been a vivid reminder to me that it really does not matter where you are, but who you are that creates comfort, happiness and joy.  And, I'm not always talking about a physical dwelling either... however, spending the last couple of days in a mansion have lent themselves to this coherence. 
  I have thought a lot about where I am, where I have been, and where I want to go.  Last weekend I went on a date.  I don't necessarily think I was ready, but I didn't necessarily want to isolate either.  I knew I was hurting, and he knew I was hurting.  I didn't try and hide that from him because I was afraid he couldn't handle it, as I have in the past...  Just show the other person what you think they can handle.  I trusted myself and him, and was honest with both my intentions and capabilities.  It was raw, to say the least.    
  As the night progressed, I eased into our jovial banter, breathed in and out and relaxed into enjoying myself despite the fact that I was also dealing with a broken heart.  I contributed to our evening together and maintained my boundaries and true desires and we shared a connection, which is exactly what I wanted and needed. 
  When all was said and done, and I was driving home I felt as if I was looking down on my life "google earth" style.  Through my tears, I could see that I was in a different place. The behaviors, choices and emotions that came out of me on that first date were 
starkly different than previous first dates, and because of that when I woke up the next morning I felt peaceful and comforted.
  Nothing external will ever compare to my internal workings.  And even though I may not physically see a grand structure that I have built.  Or have any physical "proof" of what is going on inside my head... that doesn't really matter.  If I am fortified and solid, resilient and kind, than maybe I am doing something right?