Belem...

There's a tower right at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in Portugal that is the gateway to Lisbon harbor.

It was one of the most sought-after visions of the Portuguese navigators during the "Age of Discovery" and it sent the undeniable message...you have made it home.

I have been taking some long walks over the past few days to rehabilitate myself. Today, I figured I'd go for a run. Pushing myself, I soon realized that things are a lot farther on foot than in the car.

Irresponsibly, I didn't have food, water, or money. After 75 minutes of running and being quite a ways from home, I started to walk.

I borrowed a one guy's cell phone to tell Tamar that I wasn't dead. I went into a 7-11 and got some ice. (It was actually a 6-12-yes, that was the name!)

As I made my way along University Blvd., I eventually rounded a corner and saw the University Towers...my personal Belem, telling me that after 3 hours and close to 10 miles, I was almost home.