Wander-Wonder

I depart soon on a solo adventure. On the next new moon, if fact. It'll be just me, my tent, Sophia Pearl (my car) and a cooler full of food. I've booked a series of Hip Camp sites to get me going but I've also left several days in the middle of my wandering to get lost and see where the wind might take me. I've got some hiking in the Sangre de Cristo mountains on the agenda. And a monastery (or ten) to visit.  I'll bring the iPad and write a ton, I'm sure. Other than that, I guess I'll see what happens. I'm ready to roll with whatever. 

I know it's not cool to complain, but y'all, I'm totally fried at work.  Crispy, in fact. These times we're living in have worn me thin and I'm desperate to recharge. My version of "self-care" has always been to take off somewhere alone. Sometimes it's a fancy foreign trip. Sometimes it's to Burning Man. Sometimes it's "just" to the family ranch for a few days. A few times I've meditated for ten days straight at the Vipassana Center south of town. I truly recharge when I have these times away, ideally alone, but sometimes in small groups. It's like plugging into an energy socket for me. It's really important and helpful for me to shut it all off and give myself tons of space and freedom. In a quasi-post-pandemic year the best fit seems to be a camping adventure, cheaper too! Fortunately my dear husband knows this about me. It was true when we married 23 years ago and it remains true to this day. I'm a much better mom, wife, friend, worker bee, citizen when I return. Oh, and prayers for safe travel are welcomed. As bold as I am and as easy as I make all this sound, this stuff is always a little scary if I'm honest.

I share this about myself to encourage you to do what YOU need to do to take care of yourself right now.  A solo camping trip isn't everyone's cup of tea but there's something for you to consider and "put out there" for your self care in the near future.  It could be as simple as ordering sushi next Wednesday night. Or fussing around in your garden this weekend. Maybe it's picking up a fabulous book that you haven't read since you were sixteen. On your next day off, drive to the Hill Country and have a picnic at Enchanted Rock! Do it. Do something. Set aside the time in your calendar soon to do this for yourself. Please. I hope this is the encouragement and inspiration you need! 

May it be so.