I love being home…
Don’t get me wrong I don’t mind going away for a while for short trips.
But in reality I am a home body.
I will stay home before I will rush out and leave.
Especially since semi retirement has been a part of my ‘life’. This last year has been life changing and different. It has taught me to slow down, and pace myself. It has been good.
The new comfort zone is safe and peaceful.
We went on a canoe trip a few days ago.
It was a new experience for me… I don’t know how to swim and the water scares me.
Years ago we went with some of the same people but it seemed like the adventurous spirit that was with me back then some 30 years ago was gone.
This time I had new fears.
I could feel them close whispering their ‘chattering voices in my ears.’
The older I have gotten it seems that fears are often a part of my life.
Often times prayers are sent up …
“OH GOD protect us… Oh God give me a still quiet heart… Oh God send your angels… Oh God help me feel calm and peaceful.”
Arrow prayers sent up quickly to save the moment so peace and calm can quiet my anxious heart.
The canoe trip was nice once we were settled in the water…
as I sat on the hard seat the words to myself were… “BREATHE IN and BREATHE out…
Listen to the birds…feel the air and the soft wind…breathe.
Take hold of the boat and let the guide behind you do the work.”
It was actually peaceful once the canoe was floating and following the water.
The air was fresh… the wind gentle… we saw 4 bald eagles.
They were beautiful and majestic and so serene as they sat perched upon the trees branch.
There were deer along the waters edge…
mommy ducks with their babies swimming right next to our canoes.
It was very peaceful once I let go of the ‘what if this happens’ thought process.
God blessed us with safety and nothing went wrong.
It was fun and the fellowship with the others who went with us was good.
(The mosquitoes could have been out of the scene bug bites are no fun to deal with. We all came home with many).
Next year my husband said we will have a motor home for the tent camping days are over for me. I can truly say I have “BEEN there and DONE that.”
It was my last effort to go and do what my husband enjoys. As we were packing up to leave I looked at him in the freezing morning chill and said while holding onto my hot cup of coffee, “I deserve my good sport medal.”
The morning air temp was below freezing.
Next year a motor home will be our ‘home away from home’ with a furnace and fresh water and a bathroom with shower. A warm comfortable bed with flannel blankets.
We will go again since I really don’t mind going now.
But next year it will be in our home away from home.
