Reflecting on Simplicity
This entry is really a letter to myself to remember to take a breath and look around. These thoughts are things I’ve been introspecting on very recently. I feel like the best, most serene, life giving and uplifting moments in travel come from simplicity. Don’t get me wrong - the chaos, the adventure, the struggle and uncertainty can also produce amazing results, but there is nothing like resting completely in a moment and being totally caught up with where you are. I’ve felt like that at different moments on this trip, but the similarity is they have always been in nature and always with people that I love. From a wild Florida sky beach sunset, to boating on the Ohio River in the muggy Midwestern sunshine, to walking barefoot in a back garden sanctuary reminiscing about olden days and enjoying the present, they are moments in tune with the earth and with each other.
I feel gratitude for those that have walked with me in the past, those that love me in the present and those that will do both in the future. Travel and vacation give me a fresh perspective - to slow down amidst the insanity of our lives, constantly caught up in work, family, technology and the endless bustling of our society. I often forget to walk, run, jump and play barefoot and connected to the world around me with wild abandon. I forget that those moments feed my soul and my body. And I forget that slowness, reflection, appreciation and mindfulness give a completely new outlook to my days.
I realize this entry is a mini entry of sorts, but I felt inspired and introspective in the setting sun on the shoreline and the movement to dusk on the river. Life is short and I take so much for granted, as we all do. Generations before us teach and love and walk with us, but truly only for a short time before the job is passed to us. And someday, today won’t be. Things like they are now will not be forever. Both segments we experience are filled with joy and pain, but the most joyful and free moment to experience is now. One last tidbit that I've learned from an incredibly joyful soul, full of adventure and love: wherever you go and whatever you do, have the time of your life!
