I know I have said this many times before, but sometimes it is the simplest things in life that bring the greatest sense of peace and satisfaction. It is not always the roughest road, the epic journey or the grandest of discoveries that ignite and excite your sense of adventure. Sometimes it is just a simple exploration, a humble revelation or a smooth and easy trail that lead you a place of contentment and gratitude.
I have never been one to express strong political views or overtly display my patriotic colors, but there is this song that I really love and I always find it especially poignant on Independence Day. You know that Woody Guthrie tune…
This land is your land, this land is my landFrom California to the New York island;From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters:This land was made for you and me.
Well, I don’t know how it happened, but summer is in full swing, it seems. For many months now, I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this “Summer Break” I had carefully planned for myself this year. I have been longing for and looking forward to a lazy summer schedule with an abundance of free time, trips to take, projects to make and some serious catching up to do. Then suddenly it occurred to me that this precious summer time of mine has come and is already slipping through my grasp. With me, it always seems the best-laid plans never quite turn out the way I expect. I tend to be the flexible one in life, always willing to accommodate, usually able to rearrange, happy to change my plans for the sake of seemingly more important priorities. Sometimes I think the universe knows this about me and intentionally takes advantage of my flexible nature. This is not necessarily a bad thing, for I have grown to adore and look forward to those delightful little discoveries that so often accompany an unexpected change in direction.
I find it hard to believe that the month of April has now found itself halfway to gone. It is only mid April and it is already mid April at the same time. I encounter this time warp thing again and again, yet it still manages to astound me. While it seems to me that spring has only just made its arrival, those moments of seasonal bliss are already beginning to fade. It is a busy time in this life cycle of mine. Spring Break has come and gone, the kiddos are back to school in full-force, eager to finish up the school year and get to movin’ on. With so many To-Do’s to tend to, it is certainly not a time for blogging. It is not the time for photo-taking or fancy food-making or collecting of beautiful moments. I should be in work mode, yet I find myself feeling a little cooped up, distracted and needing a little pause to enjoy these beautiful fleeting moments.
Spring is by far my favorite season in this little corner of the world. It is a fleeting, magical time as the desert literally explodes with life and color. But it is also the busiest time in my yearly work cycle and I find myself constantly pulled in two directions. It’s a dilemma. While I long to be outdoors witnessing as this seemingly lifeless landscape begins a new cycle of rebirth, I need to be indoors preparing to send yet another crew of wee ones out into that Big Kid world. Thank goodness for Spring Break.
Well, after spending the winter months wondering if Winter would actually be making an appearance at all, Mother Nature decided to celebrate the first day of March with a nice little snowfall. My hubby and I headed into the hills for a fun hiking day and a little snow play this last weekend. Now, with the second day of March being the birthday of beloved children’s author, Theodor Seuss Geisel, I could not help but stash in my pack a silly Seuss hat, hoping to capture a photo or two to illustrate some of my favorite quotes in celebration of the occasion.
“You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so…get on your way!”
I sent my favorite explorer out adventuring all by his lonesome this weekend so I could try to get some chores done at home. It’s been one of those busy times lately. You know, the need-to’s and the should-do’s piling up, work projects and deadlines making themselves the priority and playtime taking a back seat to it all. You’d think I would long to explore a bit more and seek a little solace in the great outdoors, and it’s true I do. But sometimes a girl just needs a day at home, alone, to get her chores done. When life gets all hectic and harrowed, my head and my home become cluttered with chaos to the point where I begin to feel desperate for even just the tiniest bit of clear space. Whenever I get to that point, I always hear this song playing in my head.
I think it’s time to put myself away,seek out a little silence,close the doors and sit awhile
and walk a little…
My friends often say to me, with that subtle look of envy: Oh, you do live an adventurous life! I wish I…sigh… Well, I suppose it’s true, I do. But truth be told, I am not what you would call an adventurous girl. I hate rough roads, I am afraid of heights and sometimes I’m scared of the dark. I am timid, shy and I often cry when stuck in uncomfortable situations. But for me, the secret for living an adventurous life lies in the exploration, the delightful discoveries and the excitement of the unexpected. The possibilities for adventure are endless and not always difficult to pursue. Sometimes it is a simple walk in the woods, a leisurely drive or a quiet evening stroll. Whether it is a well-traveled highway or an unexplored byway, choose the road that calls to you…adventure awaits.
Well, here we go again. A new year, another cycle of seasons, one more revolution around the sun. And as we embark on yet another journey around that beautiful, life-giving star of ours, it is customary to look back, to ponder what was and wonder what will come. I, myself, have never really been a goal-oriented person. This socially accepted tradition of creating and pursuing a set list of goals for the coming year has always been a fruitless endeavor for me. I much prefer to use the term intentions rather than resolutions.
As preparations for Thanksgiving day are underway, any proper foodie would thoughtfully present you with some sort of lovely and healthy dish with which to nourish your body and please the palate of your holiday guests. Although I am forever grateful for nature’s beautiful bounty and the nourishment it provides, I must admit that during this time of giving thanks, my mind tends to wander from the table, shying away from the accepted act of overindulgence as an expression of joyful gratitude. In this season of giving thanks, my heart always heads for the hills where Mama Nature never fails to heighten my awareness of the abundance of beauty in my life. So, in keeping with tradition, my hubby and I sought some nature time this past weekend and found ourselves pondering our plenitude as we wandered with Winnedumah.
Seek a Little Solace 