I have been feeling it in my gut for quite some time, that I needed some solitude. I didn’t know when or how I was going to achieve it, but I was feeling like I needed to be recentered or grounded. With a series of minor mishaps, my physical well being was a bit off kilter for the past few months. So, without saying “I need a break,” I think the universe knew that “I needed a break.”
To my (happiness), I had a chance to reconnect with nature this past weekend. No cell reception, no Wifi connection, no remote control to any type of device, I had 24 hours to get to know Erin again. And, I can honestly say, I am very content with who I am. I just hadn’t had a chance to focus on me for quite awhile.
I also had 24 hours to get to know Scott again. It’s interesting how you can live simultaneously next to your partner and go through all of the motions of living, but while you are busy trying to balance work, manage a family and household, sometimes conversations get lost in translation.
Many times, people ask us “Why do you guys choose Mt. Baldy for a getaway?” We both smile with a bit of a twinkle in our eye, and say “it calls us.”
We have been going to the mountains ever since we were dating, and even before we knew each other. We both felt a kinship in the woods. The massiveness of the trees, the mountain landscapes, the smell of the earth on hiking trails, the sound of the brook babbling down the hillside, the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees, all of the “noises of nature” calm our spirits. It’s like the Earth is saying “Welcome home. We have been waiting for you.”
The 24 hour getaway, from an outsider, probably looked like not a big endeavor. We packed a minimalist bag of hiking gear, extra warm jackets and socks, a couple of books that had been collecting dust on our nightstand, and a journal.
But from the insider view, it was “The Great Escape.” I had a chance to hike, which felt so good to be able to get my heart pumping and work up a sweat in the brisk air. I was able to sit by a fire and journal ideas I have for the holiday season, and I was able to take in the sights and sounds of nature surrounding me.
John Muir was onto something in 1901. We all have a special place that calls our name. It might not be the mountains.
The ocean is calling and I must go. . .
OR
The desert is calling and I must go. . .
OR
The canyon is calling and I must go. . .
OR
The country road is calling and I must go. . .
Whatever calls your name, lean in and listen to it. There is a reason why some of us fear the quiet solitude of nature. We are left alone in our thoughts. We are given time to ponder, to see something new or different. When have you given yourself time to do that?
For Scott and I , it was almost two years since we had a weekend of solitude, free of noise and outside distractions. WE all deserve an afternoon, a day, a weekend, of listening to our inner voice. Your body will thank you for it. Your soul will be rejuvenated and daily tasks will not seem so daunting.
As for me, I already am ready to escape back into nature. I have my list of camping trips on the horizon, a checklist of where I want to be a year from now with personal goals, and some amazing memories captured in my mind.
That was only 24 hours unplugged. Think if we all did this once in a while, how much more at peace we would be with life situations. I look forward to hearing what is calling your name. . .