Me and Catherine last weekend in Symphony Lake, Alaska
I have 3 kids, 2 cats and 1 dog. I stay at home and enjoy the usual things: reading, decorating the abode, shopping, talking, writing, backpacking.
Wait. What? I thought you said the normal things?
Yeah, turns out backpacking into some remote area and spending a night or two is normal here in the great white north. Up until June of this year the only thing I ever put on my back was a bag of school books. And I rarely sleep in anything but my own bed. But I have actually gone twice this summer with only other women.
I guess my motto has been "When in Nome- er- Rome, do as the Nomans, I mean Romans."
And being open to this, or rather being open to the thought of having a night off from the whole making-dinner-put-kids-to-bed routine, turned out to be just what I needed. In fact, it is in my blood now.
After the end of my first 5-mile hike and we were sitting on this cliff overlooking the Cook Inlet. I laid down on the grass and breathed the salty air and listened to the gulls calling to each other as the wind rustled the trees. I felt the quiet. The absolute peace of being so far from anything; my cell phone, my car, my TV and yes even my computer. I felt that one-ness with myself and my thoughts. I felt centered.
Then the next day I was so stiff I could not even imagine hoisting that pack on again to truck it 5-miles out, but I did it. I pushed hard and I got out faster than we went in. I felt so pleased that I did something out of the ordinary for me, and that was pretty challenging physically. I felt like I could do hard things. I felt empowered and refreshed to face life again. I returned to my family a happier person.
So I guess the discussion I pose to each of you is this: What have you done that was so out of the ordinary for you, that you ended up finding rewarding?
6 comments:
Great post! Glad you're on the blog. I guess I haven't done anything out of the ordinary in a while. Except that I moved to a new town where I knew no one and started life all over. That was pretty cool, I guess.
Great post! Its great to hear of ladies doing "out of ordinary" things and pushing their limits to become better versions of self. My boyfriend, er, now he's a fiance, started doing Kundalini yoga earlier this year. This is not your regular "gym" yoga -- I love it and now we go at least 1 time a week. It pushes me physically and emotionally. I LOVE IT!
I love your post. But which person are you? The one on the left or right?
I've done two things that have taken me by surprise. The first was about a year ago. I gave birth to my son at home and it was an amazing and life changing experience. 2nd is recently I have begun running to finally get myself in shape and I am sooooooo not a "runner", or at least I never thought it would have been possible. It has been a great experience to question the assumptions I have had about myself and my capabilities and to learn to push past them. Really, we are all capable of whatever we decide on and that is a life changing thing when you actually apply it.
I am the one on the right. And these are all such cool things you have all done. Alicia, I am with you on the whole move thing, that takes guts. And Raquel, yoga intrigues me...is this the one you do in a really hot room? And journey, wow, birthing at home is definitely something I admire and hear is truly a life changing spiritual experience. Unfortunately my husband said we would have to buy a new mattress after each birth and quite frankly, I like my epidural too ;)
LOL. I didn't give birth on the bed but in an inflatable pool in our room. But if I *did* give birth on the bed they have these things you put on the bed to prevent any fluids from getting on them. :)
Hey Nicole! Great to see that you've joined! I still haven't posted my intro yet. :)
Something that was new for me a couple of years ago was to have my daughter. I hadn't really been around kids since I was one, and I had never been a baby person. I was (and still am) often guilty of being too serious. Of course I was looking forward to having my daughter, but I had no idea how much I would love her and how much I would love being a mom -- especially a silly, playful mom.
Post a Comment